From then, To Now, Til Later
by AutumnHime
Summary: What can I say? It starts out in the Silver Millenium, and will eventually wind its way to AC 196. R/R
1. What to do when a god gets angry

1/24/04   Just so you know, if you have read this before, all the chapters have been edited, although nothing story-wise has been changed.  

*Crash! Clump! Thud!* 

(Light in room is switched on. Books are everywhere.)

AutumnHime: DUO!!!!!!

ChibiDuo: *tugs on braid* Yes, AutumnHime-sama-chan...

AutumnHime: WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT MESSING WITH MY BOOKS....?

ChibiDuo: Umm...*sweatdrop appears* Don't touch?

AutumnHime: Right...and what did you do...

ChibiDuo: Touched???

AutumnHime: WUFEI!!!

Wufei: Yes Baka Onna?

AutumnHime: 

--Duo touched my books....It's Injustice!!!!

Wufei: *Eyes spark* INJUSTICE???????? *Pulls out katana from... somewhere...* Maxwell...*Starts to chase ChibiDuo around the room*

ChibiDuo: *Starts to run* Aaaahhhhh....HEERO SAVE MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

AutumnHime: ^ ~ Finally peace and quiet.

Heero:*whips out gun and aims perfectly without looking up* Omae o Korosu Duo....I'm busy

AutumnHime: Trowa!!! Help!!! Read my Disclaimer....I'm too disgusted by it...

Trowa:....

AutumnHime: Fine! No homemade pizza for you. *Turns to Quatre* Quat-chan......

Quatre: For homemade pizza...anything. *All G-boys stop what they are doing to glare (using the Yui Death Glare TM...) at the evil lawyers that are waving lawsuits at AutumnHime.* (By the by, who coined the phrase Yui Death Glare Tm? They have my homage)

Quatre: AutumnHime's disclaimer: She doesn't own anything and barely makes enough money to keep gas in her car. She most definitely might want to own Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon, but those belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Sunrise....

** __**

** Gods, Gundams, and the Sailor Senshi**

** (aka From then, To now, 'Til later)**

** By: AutumnHime**

Let's see... Does a good story begin "Once upon a time..." or "My name is..."? I don't know, for while this story, my story, has all the elements that make up life-- things like romance, angst, drama (AN:...hehe Relena), happiness, loneliness, friendship, and solitude, it isn't necessarily a good story. But, like I said, it's mine. And by now, I'm sure you're wondering who I am. 

In my life, I have been called many things: Selene, Serenity, Serena, Usagi, Cosmos, Sailor Moon, Neo-Queen Serenity...The list goes on. In a few of my lives, I actually got the chance to be normal...but that was one out of a thousand. 

This story starts when I was Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom.

* * * *

Countless Years Before....

* * * *

"But why?" Serenity whined to her mother. "Why can't I hang out with them anymore!! They treat me like I am equal....they don't care I'm the Princess of the Moon!" 

Selenity, a frustrated look upon her face, replied, "That is exactly it, musume. LOOK AT YOU! Your hands are callused, you know how to fight, and you are MUDDY! (AN: Not to mention she no longer separates her contractions) For Selene's sake, YOU ARE A PRINCESS, AND AS SUCH, you are to leave the fighting to the Planet Princesses and Princes. They are here to protect YOU, not vice versa!! Therefore, no more training at ALL with the Princes."

"But mother..." Serenity protested. 

"I don't want to hear it child," Selenity interrupted. "Now, the delegation from Earth is here, so get cleaned up and prepare to meet your betrothed, Prince Endymion."

"WHAT!!!" Serenity's face was pure shock.

Selenity stood up from the chair in her private study, silvery dress rustling as she turned her back to the surprised, frustrated, tear-stung face of her daughter. It was an obvious dismissal. 

* * * *

'Ooooohhhhhh!!!' Serenity fumed silently, her French-braided golden hair flapping as she stormed down the hall. 'Why won't she even listen to me!? She never even asked me if I wanted to marry that dumb Endy-baka. SHE NEVER EVEN TOLD ME I WAS BETROTHED TO THE KONOYARO! And she doesn't even consider my reasons for training with the court.' Serenity glared down at her callous-roughened, slightly chalky hands. (AN: in case the reference to chalk isn't understood, people such as mountain climbers or swordsmen put chalk on their hands in order to keep the sweat from making their grip slippery.) 'What if something happens to the court? Who would protect me the...!'

"OOF!!" Serenity fell flat on her butt, the breath knocked out of her, as she turned the corner leading to the Royal Wing.

"You should watch where you're going, Moon-face," A bright, mischievous voice mocked. 

Serenity looked up. "It's not my fault that the great Shinigami can't see around corners."

A dark, rich laugh cut through the air...and a pale hand came into Serenity's line of sight. 

"Would you like a hand up, Serenity?" 

"Thank you, Duo," the Moon Princess replied, grabbing onto the hand. She was promptly pulled to her feet. 

"Daijoubu ka, hime?" Duo asked, the braided 17 year old looking deep into his friend's sky-lit eyes. "You look...angry."

Serenity stomped one of her delicate, steel-toe boot shod feet. "Darn right I'm angry," she declared. "My mother won't listen to me! The minute she found out that I was training with you guys, she summoned me into her private study and decreed that I would stop training with the five Planetary Princes, and then she decided that training with the Princesses was unacceptable as well. Then she told me to get cleaned up, as my new betrothed whom she had not even bothered to ask me about before she signed the damn contracts, nor did she inform me afterward about him, had just arrived." Serenity's tirade slowly ran down, and her breathing began to calm.

Duo had backed away to a nice, safe distance. While he wasn't exactly afraid of the Tsuki no Hime, it was better not to get close to her in a rage...she was a lot like the Princesses of Mars and Uranus in that respect. However, Serenity's story had sparked Duo's curiosity. He hadn't heard of her betrothal either...and he had a feeling that if one of his best friends had known about it, the betrothed guy would be dead now. 

Duo took a step closer, violet eyes wide, and asked, "So who's the lucky guy, Serenity?" 

"Prince Endymion of Earth." She bit off. 

Something clicked in Duo's mind...'Hmmm...didn't Heero mention something about an Endymion? I think he did...but what was it!?'

"Oooohh. Why can't I remember?" Duo shouted. 

"Remember what, Duo?" Serenity asked, looking confused. 

"Remember...that I have to see Ami-chan, Sere. So I'll see you later." Duo rushed, trying to cover his lapse. 

Serenity's face brightened. "Tell Ami-chan I said 'Hi', okay?"

"Sure, uh-huh, buh-bye, Hime-sama," Duo called, slowly backing down the hallway before turning around and running, his trademark four foot braid flying out behind him.

The Tsuki no Hime watched until Duo turned a far corner in the marble corridor, then she turned around and started again on her way to her rooms.

'Geez...that sure was weird.' 

* * * * 

Duo had stopped the minute he turned the corner, and waited for Serenity's footsteps to fade away. His violet eyes, normally so full of vigor and life and laughter had changed imperceptibly. Now, his eyes only held concern, worry, fear, and a barely perceivable determination...

Black lights began to shimmer around him, as the fun-loving Duo called forth his 'Ultra' Personality....Shinigami. Black leather pants appeared as did knee high black leather boots. A crimson silk shirt hung loose over a white undershirt, and two wide silver bracelets engraved with the planetary signs of Saturn and of Mercury circled his wrists. A silver cross nestled comfortably at the hollow of his throat and a black circlet formed under the loose bangs. Shinigami then called his scythe into existence. 

"What the HELL!" Duo exclaimed, the cold yet sympathetic look Shinigami held in his eyes changing momentarily back into that of Duo Maxwell's normal expression...then it reverted, and he whistled softly. "What the Goddess just happened (AN: kind of weird, huh...Duo being Shinigami, yet using an oath meant to attract a different divine spirit)? The normal transformation is armor...this one is new." 

Shinigami cursed again...'I'm forgetting why I transformed in the first place.' The brown-haired braided man sighed. 'He's not going to be happy with this. But hey...' and the God of Death got to work.

*Heero,* he called and waited for a few minutes. *Heero!* Shinigami called again, more insistently and waited for another little while. *Damn it! ARES!*

*WHAT!* The voice of Heero Yui, otherwise known as Ares, entered into Shinigami's head. *What in Selene's name do you want, Shinigami? And this had better be good or else omae o korosu.*

The irony of that statement struck Shinigami as funny. *Kill Death!!??* He laughed. *That's a hoot*

*SHINIGAMI!* Ares yelled.

Duo sobered immediately. As funny as the thought of Heero coming after the god of Death was, he really didn't want his friend angry...oh no, it was a bad idea to anger the God of War. *Heero, what do you know about the Prince Endymion of the Earth?*

*Why?* Heero asked guardedly.

*Because he's coming here to meet Serenity-hime...his betrothed* Duo hesitated at the last statement...telling Heero that Moon-face was betrothed would be like someone calling Wufei aka Shenlong, a baka onna. 

And Shinigami was ever so correct.

*DAMMIT!!!! I did NOT think that Queen Selenity would go so far! I knew she wanted a truce with Earth badly, but KUSO. She wasn't supposed to make a decision before I had presented my case against Endymion. THIS IS NOT GOOD, SHINIGAMI!* 

Despite the distance between the God of War and the God of Death, Shinigami could still feel Heero's powers surge, a seething, boiling, feeling very unlike the aura Heero normally gave off... "Uh-Oh." Duo muttered, "Heero's going to go hurt something unless he calms down."

*ARES!* Shinigami called. *PUT THAT CONTROL YOU ARE SOOOOO PROUD OF BACK INTO PLACE!!! You are about to fry the city.*

Only silence came back.

*DAMN IT ARES! Think about Serenity! And how she'll feel...NOT TO MENTION THE INNOCENTS YOU ARE GOING TO HURT IF YOU DON'T CONTROL THAT TEMPER OF YOURS!* 

A softly muttered reply reached Duo's ears...not his mind. "I hate it when you are right." Before Duo stood Ares, not in his normal black armor and red cape, but something very similar to Duo's latest transformation.

He wore black and a red the color of barely oxygenated blood. His pants, like Shinigami's, were black leather, but looser than the God of Death's skin tight ones...mainly to hide the myriad weapons Ares never went without. A black leather jacket (AN: I know that it is sooo unlikely that they'd have black leather jackets but these outfits are extremely important later...ok maybe not extremely, but I like them!) hung loosely over a white skin-tight shirt and blood-red vest. The only accessories to the new outfit, besides the normal weaponry, were a single gold earring combining the sigils of Mars and the Moon and a red-gold circlet underneath the wild brown hair. 

"Shinigami?" The normally emotionless man asked. "What on Mars are we wearing? What happened to the ARMOR we are supposed to be wearing?" 

Shinigami simply looked at Ares. "I have no idea. These outfits are more than a little strange..." He broke out laughing. "And you look hilarious." 

Ares simply glared. The God of Death stopped laughing. "Anyway, what are we going to do about Endymion and Serenity?" 

"I don't kno...." An extremely loud, extremely angry voice cut through Heero's admission. 

"SHINIGAMI!!!! WHAT THE DEVIL HAVE YOU DONE TO OUR NORMAL TRANSFORMATIONS?" 

"Eep! It's Wufei! And he doesn't sound too happy! Ares, hide me!" The oh-so brave Shinigami cried. 

"Too late," Ares spoke, his mouth twitching just a little. "He's already here." 

While Duo had been cowering behind Heero, Shenlong had arrived. In a whirlwind. Without a whole lot of warning. Which made Ares have to throw up a shield. And that didn't make him too happy. And as Shinigami had pointed out earlier, an unhappy Ares is an unpleasant Ares. 

THWACK!!! A dagger barely missed the whirling form of Shenlong, burying itself hilt deep into the marble column behind him. 

The whirlwind stopped.

"That's enough." Heero stated, hand still outflung.

Shenlong, God of Dragons and Justice, simply stared. "He got you, too, Ares, and you say that that is ENOUGH??!!" 

Heero finally got a good look at Wufei. The normally white and blue clad teenager was now wearing a pair of loose dark green pants of an indescribable material. He wore a white undershirt of the same material, a silver dragon had been emblazoned upon it...the leather jacket at his side had the same emblem. Around his neck dangled a ring on a silver chain. If you looked close enough at the ring, a tiny pattern had been picked out in the signs of Uranus and Jupiter. In addition to the clothes, two katanas were strapped across his back, and a sheath for an unknown weapon hung at his hip. The God of Dragons was deadly enough alone, Heero thought, but with the katanas he was practically unbeatable...unless he challenged his sister, his girlfriend, or was dumb enough to challenge Heero himself. 

"Look at Shinigami, Shenlong." Ares stated.

Shenlong took his angry gaze off of Ares long enough to see what Ares was talking about. He took a deep breath. "Alright, if Shinigami didn't do it...who did? And why? It's not like these things are very useful for protecting those we are supposed to protect." 

"Who knows? The way today is going, it probably means Fate decided to play a joke. On us."

" What else could have gone wrong today, Ares?" Wufei demanded. "Are the girls alright?"

"So far as I know, they..." Heero's response was interrupted by a loud shriek coming from the Royal Wing. "SERENITY!"

Autumn Hime: Well, that's the end of this chapter. Does this seem similar to anybody's? I can't decide whether this is mostly original or completely unoriginal.I know it's bad habit to start a fic and then start another one without finishing the first, but I have soo many crazy ideas running around on slips of paper, the more that I get down, the better.

Hope you enjoyed!


	2. Enter the pompous prince

**From Then, To Now, 'Til Later**

**Chap2: Who's he?**

**By AutumnHime**

"SERENITY!" Heero broke off in mid-sentence. Immediately the gods spun about and began sprinting to the Tsuki-no-Hime's room. Apollo and Nanashi joined Shinigami, Ares, and Shenlong on their frantic race to Serenity's suite.

A door, cherry in color with delicate silver filigree inlays came into view as another scream, this one slightly different pierced the air. Without breaking stride, Ares and Apollo, one of the new-comers, hit the door together. 

It splintered, slivers of wood flying everywhere as five deities in full protect mode burst into the Royal Suite of the Heir, only to stop, mouths agape at the scene that met their eyes.

Outfit slightly torn, eyes murderous, and hair in shambles, Serenity stood over a man with blue-black hair, both oblivious to their audience. Her pale gold slipper had been daintily placed upon the man's armored chest. It did not remain their long as the man on the floor struck quickly. He pulled on Serenity's ankle, causing her to fall to the floor before bending down and sneering, "Better get used to rough treatment, Serenity!" 

The man never knew what hit him. Apollo took the lead here. His white trenchcoat whispered, and before the other man could react, the next sound heard in the room was the satisfying crack of the stranger's head snapping back.

Heero ignored the man now writhing on the floor. He strode to Serenity, eyes as fire-glazed ice.

"What the devil happened here, Sere-chan?" He demanded. "We heard you scream." 

"Yes, sister, are you all right?" Blonde-haired and blue-eyed Quatre asked, concern for his sister winning out over his 'ultra' personality Apollo for a moment.

Serenity ignored both her friend and her brother for a minute. She had just gotten up off the floor with the help of Trowa, also known as Nanashi, god of Silence and the Forge, son of Neptune, brother of Mercury. She stalked over to the fallen stranger drew back her foot and let it fly. It clanged with a dull thud as it struck the armor.

"OWIE!!" The petite blonde screeched, forgetting that kicking metallic objects while having only lightly shod feet is probably not a good idea. She danced around the room, hopping on one foot. 

Being the only person to look around, Duo noticed a tiny smile playing about Ares' lips. At least, that was what he thought, until the five-foot two female stomped up to Heero, and kicked him in the shin. 

"And that's what you get for laughing at me, Hee-chan!" She pouted sulkily.

Ares only laughed...and then frowned as he realized that the Tsuki no Hime still hadn't answered any questions.

"Serenity...SERenity! SerENity! SerenITY!" The normally calm, patient, and kind Apollo shouted. 

"What is it Quat-chan?" Serenity turned to face her brother...and gasped. "What happened to you normal armor, Apollo?" 

Apollo curently wore a silk sky blue dress shirt tucked into white khakis. A white leather trenchcoat that hung to his ankles hid both the scabbard he wore strapped to his back and the two daggers at his sides. There also appeared to be a sheath for another weapon. His feet were shod in ankle-high brown hiking boots. On his finger, a garnet carved in the shape of the combined symbols of Mars and the Sun rested in a platinum band. A platinum circlet crowned his head.

After she had inspected her brother's new outfit, she spun about to get a good look at the rest of the gods. "For that matter, what happened to all of your transformations?"

"Forget that, Serenity." Heero ordered.

"Yeah! We want to know who the devil the guy on the floor is. And how the devil did he get past the guards? And what the devil happened. And...and...and...why the devil am I out of questions?" Duo shouted, arms flailing about like a madman.

The four other over-protective males in the room joined in as a not quite so heavenly chorus to Duo's questions, each demanding answers in a tone that stated quite clearly, 'Answer now, or face twenty guards every time you exit this room in addition to teeth-jarring rattling!'

Serenity shrugged. "The bastard there surprised me. I screamed, he grabbed at me, I kicked him how Mako-chan taught me to, he screamed, I shoved him away, and he went boom!" 

The five men simply looked at one another. Duo opened his mouth to ask more questions, but stopped, gaping fish-like at the sound of four sets of feet dashing down the marble hallway. Four young women dressed in varying ways burst into the room.

"SERENITY-HIME!!!" an electrifyingly melodic voice shouted, before a chestnut haired Amazon skidded to a halt.

Following her, a golden blonde dashed into the room, with a fiery black- haired miko and an icy-blue haired tactician hard on her heels.

"Are you alright, Serenity?" The leader of the group asked, blond hair falling from its normal braid and cerulean blue eyes clouded with worry. 

"I'm fine," the teenaged princess sighed and related her story to her friends:  the princesses of Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. 

"I'm glad you learned those moves, Sere-chan!" Mako--aka the Princess Makoto of Jupiter--commented.

"And this guy should be glad he's unconscious," Wufei drawled, "or else..."

However, Wufei spoke to soon. The well-dressed young man on the floor began to stir, eyes fluttering open. He fixed his gazed upon the Princess of the Moon and scambled to grab at her. 

"Why you stupid bitch! How DARE you..." 

The stranger's tirade ended quickly as he finally noticed that besides the golden-silver haired witch's, there were nine angry and hostile faces surrounding him. Perhaps he realized it as he felt the points of four swords, one knife, an icy dagger, a scythe, a lightning bolt, and an unstrung arrow at his neck just waiting for him to make a wrong move. 

"Never, EVER, call the Tsuki no Hime a name like that again," a dark, sinful voice full of unearthly promises caressed the back of the stranger's neck. 

"Who are you?" The cold and mysterious voice of the Princess of Mercury stabbed at the man.

Before he could answer, the Moon Princess chose that moment to get involved. She stepped up and daintily socked him in the nose. The stranger blacked out again, blood trickling down from his now broken appendage.

"SERENITY!" In unison, the voices of the five male royals in the room rang out, and the questioning began all over again.

When the five male deities in the room began interrogating Serenity again on who the man was and why he was there, Minako, Princess of Venus, decided that the only people her princess needed rescuing from were her 'royal cousins'. Mina casually stepped over the prone body in the middle of the floor. 

"So what's up, Serenity?" She calmly interjected between a "TELL ME!" and an "I WANT ANSWERS, Moon-face!"

The rest of the Inner Princesses caught on quickly. They surrounded the Tsuki no Hime, and by the time that Ares, Apollo, Shinigami, and the rest had caught on, the four teens had deftly maneuvered Serenity through the remnants of the shattered doors.

"COME BACK HERE!" Ares' command rocked the Moon palace on its foundation.

Rei, the Martian Princess and Chief Fire Priestess, elected herself to answer. "Sooo sorry. It's her Highness's bath time. Maybe later." With that, the royal bodyguards turned the corner to the Women's bath.

Frustrated in their attempt to wring answers out of the Moon hime, the five deities turned to the next best thing. The man on the floor.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Serenity heaved a sigh of relief as her fellow princesses and she rounded the corner. She really hadn't wanted to deal with her brother Apollo, or his friends' over-protective urges. Most especially, she hadn't wanted Ares to know how close her struggle with that black-haired bastard had really been. If he hadn't thought she was delicate and unassuming, well...

"Odango Atama? Are you all right?" Rei, her best friend and worst enemy, asked.

"I'm fine, Rei-chan. Just a little stressed." Serenity replied, ignoring Rei's unflattering nickname, as they continued onto the baths. 

And that, she hoped, would be that. Hopefully, her friends wouldn't interrogate her about the situation. However, Serenity knew she hoped in vain.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Are we more in favor of this one? Or did y'all like the other one better?

AH


	3. The Interrogation

**From Then, To Now, 'Til Later**

**Chp**** 3: An Interrogation Proceeds**

Serenity sank back in the hot, hot water. Her body felt like one big bruise, black and blue and yellow all over. She had been up since dawn, more or less, receiving training from the princesses in things such as fire reading, strategy, etiquette, political maneuvering, and equitation. Her other studies had been in weapons, and tactics in fighting, not just battle strategy. Then her mother had dropped her little bombshell about her new betrothed, and that whacko guy had attacked her in her room. She deserved this. 

The location of the Women's Bath was a gigantic sunken room. On one side of the room, three gigantic pools of water existed. The pool on the far right, almost hidden due to the steam rising off of it and the plethora of greenery (and reddery, yellowery, bluery, etc.) surrounding it, was the hottest. The temperature was almost scalding. This was the pool the Tsuki-no-Hime currently relaxed in. A tier below her, a luke warm pool sparkled silver, and below that a cold pool, around 60F for more masochistic bathers. On the other side of the auditorium sized hall, the actual bathing/showering pools had been placed. The heating arrangement was the same, but there were several smaller pools, and each had its own waterfall, as well as a run-off for the dirty water. The separation of clean water from dirty water was taken care of by some device that the clever current Princess of Mercury had thought up. At the very back of the Bath was an exercise pool and sauna. The whole room was granite, rose-and clear-shot quartz gleaming and sparkling when the sunlight hit it. Except for the beds of flora that beautified the room. 

Across from Serenity sat Rei. The other Inner Princesses waited below in the cooler pool, as they preferred not to look like cooked crab. After five more minutes, Serenity finally moved. Her muscles had relaxed, thanks to the heat of the bath, and she felt good enough to move down to the comfortable pool. Rei moved from her granite formed seat as well. 

"Serenity-hime," Ami said, voice as harmonious as snow drifting down upon a lazy winter's day, "Why are you so upset?"

Trust Ami, Serenity thought, to get straight to the problem.

"I'm upset because my mother has decided that I am to much a tomboy and not enough of a princess. Despite the fact that I speak Old Lunarian, Mercurian, Martian, Jupiterian, and seven other languages fluently, understand that in order to be a successful ruler one must know how to walk a tightrope, can quote three books on manner and decorum backwards and forwards, ride like I was born on horseback, and dance gracefully, despite the fact that I have all the skills needed to be a successful princess, she has banned me from training with you four in magic and the Princes in weapons!"

Makoto touched Serenity on the arm. "It's all right, Moon-face. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

The others made sympathetic clucking noises, agreeing with Makoto's suggestion.

"That's not all though! That creep in my bedroom?" The Moon Princess exploded, muscles tensing up again at the thought of the strange man.

Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei nodded. 

"My mother has betrothed me to that baka Earth prince, Endymion. I don't remember him all that well, but didn't he look similar to the guy in my room?"

Ami frowned, concentrating. Little waves lapped at her sides in a pattern, attempting to soothe the mistress of water. "Hmmm...I think that you might be right, Sere-chan!"

"So you think that the guy in your bedroom is Endymion?" Minako hesitated. "Surely your mother wouldn't have engaged you to some monster!"

"And weren't you and Ares...?" Rei let the last of her statement drop off. 

Serenity nodded, towel-wrapped hair falling loose in a silky waterfall. "My mother really needs this alliance with Earth, but she was allowed to marry for love! Why can't I?" she whined.

"Oh, Sere..." Her friends drew up around her in the water, commiserating with her in a huddle.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

The five men that had stayed with the unconscious intruder in order to have a chance at interrogating him currently discussed the changes in their normal outfits. 

Shinigami gave a low whistle, distracting the others from the conversation.

"Whoa, Nanashi! I'm impressed!"

"..." Nanashi silently asked for an explanation.

Shinigami happily granted him one. "For the most part, you prefer to blend in at court, and while that works when the armor transformation occurs, this one is REALLY going to have all the girls drooling after you!"

"But Shinigami," Apollo reminded him, "Nanashi's change is much like ours."

"But my dear Apollo...the rest of us like being noticed, and normally don't mind the attention. Our friend Nanashi here is much more of a wall-flower...and he won't be able to stay that way with this transformation!"

Nanashi's change had been as dramatic as the rest of the gods. Rather than his normal silver green-shot armor, he now looked just as foreign as his comrades. A light fawn gold leather duster draped him in cloth from his shoulders to his knees. Underneath the duster, a tight-fitting, slightly metallic emerald green t-shirt clung to his upper body like a second skin. His pants also fit him well, but were sort of loose like Ares' new pants. They were made of a durable dark-blue cloth that had metal threads running through it. He, like his best friend Apollo, wore hiking boots, except his matched the fawn gold color of his duster. A quiver that had hung at his back when he first completed his transformation now rested next to his side. A brace of throwing daggers, much like the ones his sister--Reason--had taught him to throw, were slung across his hips, as were three--holsters. Nanashi had also found two other secret holsters, one at his shoulder, another by his ankle. In addition to all of that, two accessories completed his outfit. One was an upper ear clasp. The swirling jade of the design formed a unified symbol of Neptune and Venus. The second accessory was a forest green circlet made of some unknown metal that circled his brow.

"Hnnn..." Ares grunted. 

"CAN WE GET BACK TO THE SUBJECT!"

"Calm down, Shen-man!" Shinigami laid back from his sitting position in mid-air. His braid flopped over one leather clad shoulder. "You should be more relaxed...like me!"

"DO NOT CALL ME SHEN-MAN, SHINIGAMI!" Shenlong yelled. He grabbed Duo's booted foot and flipped him up over the edge of the invisible recliner before the God of Death had time to react. A flash of total surprise crossed the Black God's face before he landed on his butt on the hard marble floor. 

A dazzling wall of light blazed up between the two squabbling deities. "If we could please stop with the fighting, gentlemen, I believe our 'friend' is about to wake up." 

Quatre's final words got the attention of the rest of the group. Sure enough, the blue-black haired man stirred. His eyelids parted to reveal dark blue eyes. At first disoriented, they quickly filled with ire as he attempted to stand.

His attempts were quickly cut short. "I think you should stay seated, friend," Shinigami purred, hands flexing lightly upon the other man's armor...at least it didn't appear that he struggled to dent the armor in ten distinct places. 

"Wha...what..." The man jerked forward, trying to escape the indigo-eyed deity. 

"You should not ask what, but who, little insect." Quatre's voice blazed with the intensity of a thousand suns yet he spoke in little more than a whisper. 

"Hh...h....h...who, then?" The stranger quivered under the relentless gaze of five gods. One cut like a knife, reminiscent of the terror and horror that gazing at a field strewn with bodies can provoke. Another gaze promised all the horror that screaming in complete and utter silence, devoid of all senses except that of sight, can create. A third gaze appeared completely alien, scaring the already witless man, for while the others seemed more than human, this was simply...Other. No compassion, only flickers of anger. Mostly, the gaze made the stranger feel as if he were an interesting specimen ready to be dissected and examined. 

It was this gaze that brought the terrified man back to himself. "LET ME GO! I AM..."

Here he was cut off. 

"Look at that," Nanashi's silent voice commented. "It thinks that it can interrupt us before we tell it who we are."

"How terribly rude of it," Ares said blandly.

"I believe we can be magnanimous," Shenlong's voice had changed, it was clinical...detached. "We are..."

"Five to be watched out for." Apollo finished the Lord of the Dragons statement. "We protect the princess..."

"And her court, little man." Shinigami drawled. "Our names are..."

"Legion." The God of Silence finished. "If everybody agrees, I would like to be first."

The other four nodded, the introduction had been planned earlier. "Earthling, in order to fully understand whom you are dealing with, let me give you all of my titles. I am Trowa, Prince of Neptune, brother to the Heir-Apparent of the Kingdom, Michiru. My father is Triton, King of Neptune, Lord of the Seas. I am Nanashi, God of Silence."

Wufei went next. "Very impressive, Trowa," he murmured. "You forgot to mention your mother, your other sisters, and your betrothed." 

Nanashi waved the comment away, "I didn't think that we wanted him to grow old and die before we finished."

"True..." Wufei turned back to the only actually armored occupant of the room. "I am Wufei, little man. Prince of Uranus. My sister is Haruka, Goddess of the Winds, and heir to the throne of Uranus. I am Shenlong, Lord of Dragons and Justice."

A silver blade flashed, then a gleaming point came to rest on the ground. "I am Duo, Prince of Saturn. Hotaru, god-child of the Queen and first in line for the throne of Saturn is my sister. My father is Hades, my mother, Persephone. My Grand Dam is Ceres, goddess of grain and harvest on earth. I am Shinigami, God of Death." 

"I am Heero, cur. I am Prince of Mars and Heir to the throne of Fire. My sister is Rei, friend and protector of Serenity, as well as princess, chief priestess, and prophetess of the planet Mars. I am Ares, God of War."

Quatre stepped up, surrounded by a corona of light. "I am Quatre, King of Sol. My sister is Serenity, princess to the Empire of the Moon. My mother is Selenity, current Queen. My father is Helios. I am Apollo, God of the Sun." He paused. "Now, who are YOU?"

During the introductions, the stranger had been growing paler and paler. However, at the chance to introduce himself, some of the color came back. 

"I am Endymion, Prince of the Earth, betrothed to Serenity." He declared haughtily. 

Rather than gasps of surprise, shock, or remorse for their treatment of him, the five gods looked as if something unpleasant had just been confirmed.

Apollo sighed again. "Mother is not going to like the fact that she picked wrong." 

"Maybe next time, she'll listen to me, and wait for all of the facts." 

Wufei interrupted by asking Endymion a question. "Why did you come to Serenity-hime's room?"

"I wanted to see if the whey faced bit...witch was as malleable and sweet as they say."

"Anything else?" The harsh words stung the very air. 

"Yea. I heard she was easy and..." He never finished his statement. No sound came out of his lips and the last thing the Prince of Earth saw was a fist hitting him in the face.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**__*_*_*

Next Chapter: In which the Queen decides 


	4. The Queen Decides

Disclaimer: Two pennies and some citrine. That's more or less all I have, and I don't own that or Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing, so unless you want some fancy Shakespearean quote such as: "Hell is empty and all the devils are here," or "'Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?' 'I do bite my thumb sir, but not at you, sir.'" don't sue.

**From Then, To Now, 'Til Later**

**Chap.4: In Which a Queen Decides**

**By: AutumnHime**

The great, golden brown spirit-wood doors of the throne room burst open, hitting against the wall with an almighty crash. Silence, like a pebble thrown into the midst of a still pond, rippled outward from the center among the chatting courtiers. The Queen stood up, shock quickly covered up by a politic mask. 

Shenlong, Nanashi, and Shinigami swept into the room, striding briskly forward. Behind them, Ares and Apollo dragged a black armored body between them. 

Whispers ran through the crowd. Why were the Planet Princes...in _new outfits!!!???... in their Deity form, versus their own guise? A touch of worry laced their words as well. Was that man between them some new threat? As one, the people in the throne room turned towards the Queen. _

The five approached the Silver Throne. The people parted, fancy dress rustling and rasping as they shifted. 

Finally, silver Shenlong, amethyst Shinigami, crimson Ares, golden Apollo, and emerald Nanashi reached the silver throne. 

Ares and Apollo dropped their burden.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen's voice rang out, bell tones hammering against white marble columns and richly tapestried walls. 

"Your Majesty, we demand a private audience as is our right as guardians of the kingdom." Ares' cold voice froze many in the audience, mice caught under the gaze of a cat. 

Apollo glared at his friend. He had hoped to make their request in a slightly more diplomatic manner. "Queen Selenity, mother, we have things that need to be said quickly and privately, if possible."

"It cannot wait?" Selenity asked, narrowing her blue-silver eyes at her son.

"No, Majesty, it cannot wait." Shinigami spoke, his voice, normally at least slightly sympathetic, now promising death as slowly and painfully as he could manage. 

The queen bowed her head, lilac-white streamers falling forward. "Very well." she sighed softly, and gestured to her herald to dismiss the court.

The nobles ran out of the room, praying to Selene that they missed the fireworks.

The great doors that had crashed open now shushed silkily shut. The five males stood arrogantly in a star position (1) with the only obviously armored male on his stomach in the middle. 

The Queen regally sat down, acting as if the center of the star did not exist. "Well?" She arched a graceful brow at her son, "you wished an audience. You have it. Speak."

Ares lifted his own haughty gaze, Prussian blue eyes colder than Mercury's ice storms. "Majesty, do you recall when I warned you about Prince Endymion a few weeks ago? I told you that he may not be all that is desirable." 

A creamy alabaster hand waved negligently in the air, yet something flickered in the lavender depths of the queen's eyes. "I asked King Entymion. He informed me that they were simply destructive rumors to curtail our progression towards an alliance and peace."

"Really," Wufei drawled. "So that means this man is not Prince Endymion?"

Duo and Trowa bent down smoothly as one, and each grasped a cuirassed shoulder. They lifted the black haired man with ease. 

Bruises marred the once too-pretty face, and striking navy eyes stared back at the queen with fear, defiance, and anger. The man's cut and bleeding mouth worked soundlessly.

Nanashi snapped.

"...Your bitch of a daugh..." Venom filled words lashed out and then abruptly stopped. Nanashi had snapped again.

The queen paled in shock, then turned to granite. "How dare you hurt an ambassador to this court! I will not have it!" She turned her head towards Heero, gaze hardening from ice to diamond. 

"This is your doing, Ares. You have NEVER liked Terrans, and you hated me for seeing through you and hindering your courtship of my daughter." The poison kept flowing. "You merely want more fodder for your causes, just like your father. I am glad I have saved my daughter from that heartbreak!" Selenity hissed, flinging her hand outwards. "I banish you from this court, for the rest of my time as reigning queen. You may not make contact with Princess Serenity. If it becomes needful for communication between yourself and this court, a third party of MY choosing will do so."

"Moth..." Blue eyes flared, shock, rage, disbelief flooding without dam.

"Queen..." Death-filled eyes reverted for a moment to indigo...then tombstones, ghosts, and rustling wind refilled them as Shinigami stared at his queen.

"Highn..." Black diamonds clashed hotly with silver-blue moonstones.

"SILENCE!" Selenity's voice crashed down about the five shocked young men in strange clothes. She continued on in a voice barely above a whisper. "I will forgive the rest of you your trespasses against my reign. However, you will be banished from the moon for the length of six months. If you return during that time...you will be exiled for life. Do you understand?"

She banged a here-to unnoticed scepter against the marbled floor. "The banishing ceremony will take place in six days. You will be confined to your quarters until then."

"But mother!" Quatre protested. "Endymion tried to rape Serenity!"

"Is that what Serenity told you? She has been against this marriage since I announced it this morning. THE WEDDING WILL GO ON! Now, release the Prince Endymion, Nanashi!" 

A startled gasp from behind the queen attracted everybody's attention. Long hair pulled into a style similar to her mother's, mouth silently whispering "no mother, mother no...mother NO", Serenity stood like a deer when a tree branch snaps in her hearing. Like the deer, she turned and ran, hair whipping out into a golden banner. Racing back through the dark portal by which she had entered, the only sign of her presence was the death-knell crash of the door as it clanged shut behind her. 

Without another word being said, the five defenders of the Tsuki no Hime and her court turned and walked out, defeated, sorrowful, and most of all...betrayed.

*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)**)*)*)*))*)*)*)*)*)*)*) 

The queen watched them go, and the newly released Prince of Earth watched her. When the doors that had burst open only minutes ago closed behind her daughter's brother and friends, she turned her attention to the man at her side. 

He sketched a bow in her direction. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I was afraid for a moment there."

"You let yourself get caught, Endymion. I told you to do it some place where she could not be rescued." Queen Selenity's voice had changed from bell tones to brimstone. "They are going to get suspicious. Queen Selenity would never have let someone touch her precious daughter in such a manner."

"Yes, but this has allowed you to begin the alienation of the few who could save the Silver Millennium." Endymion's voice turned bitter. "Besides. The bitch princess knew some fighting techniques. You never said that she was trained in martial arts."

"That is the only reason you are still alive!"

Endymion's laugh could have cut diamond. "That and the fact you need me to open the Moon Kingdom's gates."

"What is the use of having the body of this disgustingly _good creature if I cannot achieve the opening of the gates myself?" _

"Why dirty your hands...Queen Beryl? I see no reason for you to do it when I can."

Beryl ignored him. "The queen sleeps restlessly in her head. I fear I cannot contain her much longer."

"Seven days...in seven days, I will have opened the gates in, and Earth will take its rightful place as the planet second only to the Negamoon."

"Just seven more days."

Hair-raising laughter jumped off of the walls, as the Prince of Earth and the Queen of the Negamoon in the Queen of the Moon's body saluted one another.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

1) The star position I'm talking about would look like this: * (back)

                   * - *

* *(front)

Another short chapter. I hope you liked this one. You didn't really believe that Queen Selenity could have let her own daughter marry the man Endymion is portrayed as, do you?

Next chapter: The Beginning of the End of the Moon Kingdom.

Ja ne!

AutumnHime


	5. The Beginning of the End of the Silver M...

**From Then, To Now, 'Til Later**

**Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End of the ****Moon******Kingdom****

**By: AutumnHime**

****

Silvery gray light, the natural illumination the moon itself cast upwards, created shadows around the imposing green-gray barrier of thorny vines. The night was cool and still. No winds stirred a single leaf or petal of the moon-rose bush under which Princess Serenity, heir to the Moon Kingdom, beloved of the God of War Ares, betrothed of Prince Endymion of Earth, and lately betrayed by her own mother, curled in an attempt to find refuge. Her golden hair fell around her, shielding her from the dark night, but it could not shield her from her dark thoughts and the pain twisting in her heart.

_Mother, oh mother why? Is the alliance with earth so important to you? Have you forgotten love? Why would you sacrifice me to the monster. Am I really so unloved? Knives of self-doubt and unworth stabbed at the diminutive girl._

She clasped her head in her hands in an effort to make the vile thoughts leave. They refused.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel in front of the large bush. "Serenity?" a husky voice called, compelling her to answer. 

She ignored the compulsion. Yet, moments later, a hard, warm body settled next to her, impossibly fitting his large body into the small space. The fact that he had found her didn't suprise Serenity. After all, the God of War should have some tracking skills, given the importance it could have in a war. 

Serenity curled into her love's warmth, seeking solace from her pain. A heavy cloak settled around her dew-dampened and thorn-torn dress. Heero's hands gently stroked her hair, which had fallen from their pristine court-dress buns. 

After a few moments, he spoke. "Serenity, everything will be alright. You'll see."

The confused and frustrated princess didn't speak; she merely burrowed further, firecely shaking her had in a negative reply. 

Sword calloused hands rested upon her shoulders. "Sere-chan, look at me." The blue-eyed warlord waited until his blue-eyed princess looked up. He shook her a little. "Everything will be alright! I promise Serenity Selene Magdalena d'Luna. Trust me. Your mother will eventually realize her mistakes, and she'll undo the banishing."

"You do not understand, Heero. Mother...how could she do this? Does not she love me, or Quatre anymore? Why would she say such awful things? I have never lied a day in my life, and she thinks that I would accuse someone who was innocent of as serious a crime as rape? This is not the mother I know!" Serenity shook her head sharply again and threw her arms around Heero as if never to let him go. 

Heero stroked her back and hair again without paying attention. The Tsuki no Hime's words...and that strange flicker of light in the Queen's eyes... Where were Luna and Artemis? They never missed a court session...but they hadn't been in the throne room. It seemed insane to even think it, but could the Queen...no...maybe? 

"Heero? Heero?" Serenity called. She then froze and drew back into herself as she saw the look in his eyes. Tundras would have been warmer than the amount of feeling in his eyes. "Heero? Ares? No..." she backed away slowly, shivering and shaking, hoping to any friendly spirits or deities out there that the nightmare would soon end. "Not you, too, Heero? What have I done to be so reviled?" the Princess of the Moon who would fight to her last breath and beyond if a friend was in trouble turned tail and ran as hard as she could, hoping to escape the terrible rage in the God of War's eyes. 

To late to check her flight, Heero returned to the present from his inner thinking. "Serenity...SERENITY wait!" He shouted after her, stretching his arm out as if to plead. The black covered arm then dropped heavily to his side as he saw two blond streamers of hair disappear past the fountain gate. "I'll make it up to her later." Heero decided. "Her safety first; and then her happiness."

He turned, picking up his fallen cloak and swirling it around his shoulders once more. Ares re-emerged. "Six days and counting." 

_*SHENLONG, NANASHI, APOLLO, SHINIGAMI! Stop sleeping, we have work to do!* Ares' mind-voice exploded over the link that the five Planetary Princes shared._

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

This is a very short chapter. I needed something to show that Heero had begun to get the picture. Next chapter: The banishing of the Princes or What's happened to Serenity?


	6. The Final Days of the Silver Millenium

From Then, To Now, 'Til Later

Chapter 6: The Final Days

By: AutumnHime

_Five days until the banishing ceremony_

Three teenagers gazed in mounting concern and disbelief at the scene that was unfolding below them in the courtyard. It was almost too impossible to believe. There, on the cobblestoned drive that circled up to the door, was their princess, dismounting from her horse. Yet that was not the unbelievable part. The unbelievable part was the man that had helped her dismount was a man she had despised and disliked more than any other just yesterday. The man was Prince Endymion of Earth, a black-hearted man if ever had one been born. 

"She flinched as he touched her, but she does not say a word." Minako growled, her hands clenched into fists. As captain of her cousin's bodyguards, her ability to do nothing to the bastard until her Princess commanded or said...SOMETHING...made her want to hit something hard. Her betrothed, perhaps. 

"What happened?" Makoto asked, bewildered. "Why did not Queen Selenity send him away? She had our brothers' and betrotheds' and Serenity's report. The Queen is always fair. She always metes out justice!" Her voice trailed off, confusion and bitter disappointment evident. 

Knuckles tightened until the skin stretched white. The Princess of Mars' fiery black hair whipped around her with a life of its own. "Why does not Serenity say something! She refuses our company left and right, and we have heard nothing from our Princes. The fire reveals nothing to me but to be careful--that great evil is coming. I cannot but think that this is part of it."

"We need to go down there and confront that b..." Makoto exclaimed, anger running rampant as she watched her Princess be pulled into the grasp of the wretch and drawn into a punishing kiss in front of servants and court alike. She could see the guards whispering back and forth. She could imagine what they were saying.

Venus extended her hand, stopping her fellow princess from continuing with her tirade. "We need to wait for Ami to get back, is what needs to happen. I fear something more than what we see is going on."

Soft steps, with a rapid rhythm to them had the girls spinning around. Petite Ami, Princess of Mercury, stood in front of them, tears and outrage, despair and bitterness, apparent in her wide azure eyes. 

"Ami, what is it?" Minako queried softly. Ami merely trembled, shuddering as if cold despite the heritage of ice that ran in her veins. Minako's voice turned stern and commanding, for only something truly devastating would turn the controlled Ami into this mess. "Senshi Mercury, REPORT!"

Ami shuddered, her eyes closing briefly in an attempt to swallow the pain, and then opened them. She thrust her shoulders back, stood up straight and, except for the quaver in her voice as she began, started her tale, responding to her training as she never would have to soft questions and supportive friends.

"Queen Selenity has b-ba-banished Ares from her court from now to her death. She says that Endymion would never have done anything like what the Princes said he did, and what Serenity said he did. She ac-acc-accused Ares of being jealous of Endymion's position. When Apollo and the rest tried to speak up for Ares...the Qu-Queen banished them as well, but only for six months. The ceremony of exile is to begin five days hence! Duo tells me that Serenity dashed out of the room after her mother's pronouncement." Ami raised her head to look at her commander, eyes desperately searching for any glimmer of understanding in the Princess of Love's face. "VENUS! Why would the Queen do such a thing?" Three pairs of eyes continued to stare at the blonde. Venus turned away to grasp at the marble banister, her own blue eyes staring sightlessly as she watched her Princess being guided into the palace, Serenity's slender body curving away from Endymion's hand near the bottom of her back. 

"Something evil has come to the Silver Millennium." Venus whispered, turning back to face her comrades. "What are our betrotheds doing about this? What is Ares doing about the fact that Endymion cannot be trusted, and that with their banishments, no one except for us will be here to protect her? Why is he not down there, comforting her? There are too many questions to be answered, Ami. But I vow..." her head rose confidently toward the star-bright sky. "I vow, on the planet of Venus, on what and who I am, that we will get to the bottom of this, or I will die trying." 

Makoto's clear green eyes clouded with worries. "Where are we going to start, Venus?"

"We do the job that we are sworn to do first. We protect our Princess." Minako clasped her hands together sending a brief prayer to Selene. Drawing the other three behind her with a gesture, she stalked into the castle without a backwards glance. 

Only Rei turned back. Only Rei noticed the blood on the horizon. No one saw the Seeress of Fire nod sadly as if something had been made clear to her finally. She then followed her friends inside, black hair blowing behind her. 

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* _Four days till the banishment ceremony_

Three sharp, quick raps on the doorway distracted Apollo from his packing. "Go away, please." His pleasant tenor had an edge to it. Quatre had thinking to do, and if he had to be rude to get the peace and solitude needed for it, then, even if it went against his grain, rude he would be.

"Do you really want me to leave, Quatre?" The smoky voice of the Princess of Mars filled the air with subtle shades of sadness, understanding, hurt, teasing, and tension.

Quatre dropped the shirt he had just folded and strode to the door. "Of course not, love, it's just that..." He stopped in mid-sentence, hugging Rei hard then pushing her away. 

"Why did you not tell me of your mother's sentence?" Rei asked, brushing her hair away from her face, violet eyes steadily meeting sky ones. 

Quatre sighed. His betrothed was often insightful and thoughtful, although her thoughtfulness balanced her ego and easily provoked nature. 

"I did not say anything because I have not seen you since the sentence. I did not want you to worry." He drifted off, contemplating his next sentence.

"And you were told to maintain absolute secrecy by Ares as you search for answers." Rei finished, her white gown softly shushing as she stepped delicately into the room, closing the ash door behind her. 

Quatre smiled bitterly, blue eyes dark with lost innocence. "Yes."

"You hurt Serenity with your silence. She believes that everyone she loves has abandoned her as her mother and lover appear to have done."

Apollo whirled, shock on his face. "What do you mean? Ares hasn't abandoned Serenity. Far from it. He's trying to find answers to Mother's behavior for her!"

Rei's eyes flashed, suddenly angry. "When was the last time you talked to your sister?! When was the last time you bothered to see her?! Do you know that she refuses to let us in to her room to see her? Do you know that her 'fiancée'" Rei spat the word, "treats her like an object, a possession, something to be used as he wishes and in any way he wishes?" 

Quatre's eyes widened with each word that Rei pronounced. He flinched, and then yelled back, "I cannot do anything about that! Mother stated that I could not see Serenity during the time before my exile. Ares has the same problem. He's desperately searching for answers for Serenity to make her understand that Mother _would not_ do this to Serenity if she were herself. He wants to find Luna and Artemis. He has no idea where they are. Nobody has any idea where they are. We have been searching frantically; hoping to find answers, but we find nothing...Nothing." Quatre slowly sat down on the bed, a young man with a deep empathy for people and their problems that would eventually make him a great ruler. "I have such an awful feeling about this, dear one, I sense such evil emotions." He buried his fair face in his hands, platinum hair whispering through his fingers.

Rei sat on the bed next to him, and drew him close, heedless of the mess of clothes. "I know, my prince, I know. I see the dark shadows as well." So they sat, until the sun lowering behind the silvery landscape of the moon heralded the end of one day and marked the beginning of another day closer to the ceremony.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

_Three days until the banishment ceremony._

"But, Heero!" Quatre begged, his eyes imploring. The King of the Sun was disheveled, his normally immaculate appearance destroyed:  white shirt untucked from white pants, silver-blonde hair looked as if it hadn't been combed that morning, and the only jewelry he wore was the ring he never took off. "I do not know how much more of this Serenity can take! Her guards are only allowed to see her from a distance...Serenity's orders. Rei tells me that she looks frail, much different from the person she was only three days ago..."

"No." Ares' cold voice cut across Quatre's pleas. "I do not want to raise her hopes that we will find something about her mother. Not until I have concrete proof to present." Heero's own eyes met Quatre's. The Prussian blue orbs were hard, determined, and more sorrowful than any mortal's had a right to be.

"Heero, please!" Duo piped in, looking as exhausted and as with it as Quatre appeared. "Ami told me that she not only refuses her friends and guards, but all visitors, except for that slime with the face of a man. It's as if she's frozen off the rest of the world. If you had not been preoccupied these past three days, I would have dragged you outside to see her for yourself."

"I said no, Shinigami" The quiet voice was deadly. 

Wufei spoke up. "Ares, you _will listen to us...let me paint a picture for you of what our beloved future leader currently looks like."_

Heero tried to interrupt, to cut in, to stop the flow of words that Shenlong spoke with ruthless simplicity. He knew what Serenity looked like. The secret entrance to her bedroom gave him quite a good view of his beloved. Yet the Lord of Justice wouldn't stop until he felt justice had been served.

"Let's start from the top, shall we?" Wufei asked, icily casual. "Her hair, that shining, blond silver stream, hangs down her back like a brittle waterfall. Her face is thin. The azure eyes that were the talk of the kingdom when she was born, that have not dimmed even the slightest since then, are now gray and red with exhaustion and tears. They are haunted with some horrible nightmare that only Serenity appears able to see. The bags and shadows that have formed under those melancholy spheres add to the pallor and delicacy of her face. Her face no longer glows with life, but rather the anticipation of a fate worse than death darkens it. Her shoulders are hunched, and she flinches away whenever someone comes near, as if even the slightest human contact causes her pain. Are you listening to me, Heero? Do you understand that because you have removed yourself from her contact, she has drawn in upon herself like a collapsed building? She will not receive even her brother, or her guards--_her best friends!_! Do you _understand_, Ares?"

Heero's tear-dry eyes turned towards Wufei. And Shenlong gasped at what he saw there. 

"Yes, damn you; I know what I've done! But as long as Serenity suspects nothing and acts the way she is, the less suspicious my movements will be. I HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE DEVIL SELENITY IS DOING! I will not go to Serenity without good news." As the last bitter, anguished word dripped from Ares' mouth, Heero swept out the door, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

_Two days before the banishment ceremony_

Serenity looked around her room. The tapestries that had been gifts from _him had been the first to go. She had ordered them to be placed in protective storage. She wished never to see them again; unable to believe that they had ever had any special meaning for the man she had loved and always would, and whom she believed no longer loved her. She had then ordered her room stripped of all other memorabilia and souvenirs from happier times to be destroyed. Betrayal hurt too much to remember it over and over again. _

She knew that her Senshi wondered why she was doing all of this. She knew that her brother and Shinigami, Shenlong and Nanashi had been hurt by the way she treated them and by the way she treated herself. But know she knew the pain of love and trust betrayed and she didn't want to be in that position ever again. Loving people...trusting them...it hurt too much. It was easier to be Endymion's perfect little princess...to punish herself for not being worthy of H...He...Hee...Heero's and her mother's love than it was to believe that there was nothing wrong with her. Serenity had forced herself to lock away the part that screamed about the unfairness of the situation. She preferred the solitude that being alone brought her. 

"Serenity!" Quatre's voice woke her out of her thoughts as her always sunny brother banged against the newly fixed door to her quarters. "Let me in...Please, Serenity." 

_He sounds desperate. I wonder if som....NO!__ You can't let anybody else in, ever again! Leave it alone, Serenity!_

"Go away." The Tsuki no Hime's voice was detached.

"Serenity! OPEN THIS DOOR!" Quatre shouted. 

"Leave, Quatre." Her voice was monotonous, a void in reality. 

Serenity ignored the rest of the threats and pleas. Only when her brother's footsteps echoed away did she allow the single tear to draw a cold, salty path down her cheek.

_It hurts too much!_

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

_The day before the banishment ceremony..._

Heero stalked frenetically up and down obscure corridors in the palace. His piercing midnight eyes had the feral gaze of a rabid wolf...or an obsessed man. He had found nothing. There were no signs of the cats anywhere. He knew...he had looked in every single nook and cranny of the palace that he knew of and could get to. The palace guards had looked the other way when he approached or had suddenly found something else to do, if one of the rooms he was entering was under protection. The Queen's decision had been relatively unpopular, especially as the story of what had happened leaked out from anonymous rumors, and being the God of War, most soldiers felt it unlucky to cross him. Yet the rooms he needed to search were the ones guarded by people that still trusted in the Queen...or by Endymion's personal guards. 

He raked his hand through his chocolate hair in frustration. Serenity was rapidly declining. Every day that passed, she become less of her bubbly self and more of an automaton. The only time emotions ever showed were during the long hours of the night, when Heero sat by her bed and comforted her throughout her nightmares. He understood what his fellow gods had tried to tell him when he last saw them, but without proof he could make no claim against the Queen, and if he never found any proof, Serenity would still be devastated by his leaving. 

"ARGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" The growl counter pointed the loud crunch of marble as knuckles met wall. His shoulders shook silently as the tears of anger, frustration, misery, and despair finally began to fall. Heero slid down the cold wall, face to his knees. He didn't realize he was mewing until almost twenty minutes later. 

Wait a second...Mewing? The sharp analytical personality that made the God of War so good at his job took over. In a flash, Ares had regained his feet. "Artemis...Luna? Are you here?"

The reply was faint, "...own...ere...Ares...Find...."

"KEEP TALKING, CATS! I NEED YOUR HELP!" And Heero raced off into the darkness of a palace hallway that he had never seen before.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

_The day of the banishing ceremony_

On a dais in the middle of the palace's largest square, Queen Selenity reigned. The square had the feeling of a successful ball...crushed and elated; waiting to watch this latest entertainment like it was a public execution...which, in a manner of speaking, it would become. Beryl gloated that the time had almost come to put her plan into action. Serenity's behavior after the pronouncement of the sentences could not have pleased her more. Defiance had left the golden moon child currently sitting at her right hand. Both 'mother' and child wore formal court gowns. Endymion, fully armored and posed as if he expected treason at any moment, stood behind the two, waiting for the end of the tedious speeches and summary teleportation of the Princes off of the moon. He was to take Serenity to the gate immediately after and make her open the gate. Then the invasion would begin, and without the Princes supporting the Inner Planetary Princesses, and there being no time for the Outer Princesses to get to the Kingdom that quickly...the Moon Kingdom would be history.

The gigantic bell of the watch tower tolled eleven. The ceremony was to begin. The doors of the palace swung open and out came the five, transformed into their 'Ultra' personalities. Ares headed the group, followed by Apollo and Shinigami walking side by side, and Shenlong and Nanashi behind them. They took up their positions, kneeling in front of the queen. The Planetary Princesses made their entrance. Besides the Door into the palace, also known as Moon Gate, there were nine others, named for the planets of the system. Traditionally, any arriving Senshi, Royalty, or other dignitary used the gate of their planet to enter via during state functions or formal visits. It was also used during formal ceremonies, when the Planet powers would be needed to formally banish someone away, and then lock the teleport against that person until the sentence was finished. Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter took up their positions, kneeling on the ground, with their hands held wide...each forming one of the corners of a square. 

Beryl, in Selenity's guise, stood. "Heero d'Mars, Quatre d'Helios, Duo d'Hades, Wufei d'Uranus, and Trowa d'Poseidon, you stand before your ruler to face the sentence of banishment. Heero d'Mars, you are summarily sentenced to exile from the Moon for my lifetime. Any contact made between you and anyone on this planet will result in an immediate sentence of treason and subsequently death for you and the person you contact. Quatre d'Helios, Duo d'Hades, Wufei d'Uranus, and Trowa d'Poseidon, you are banished from this satellite for the duration of six months. During that time, you are to follow the same policy of silence that Heero d'Mars must. We hope that you use this time to reflect upon the sin of doubting your supreme ruler. Let the Teleportation begin." The Queen banged the heavy staff of state upon the marble dais. Immediately, the Princesses began chanting. A rainbow of lights sprang up from the circle encompassed by their square. The five princes stood from their kneeling position and stepped into the lights. The chanting grew heavier. 

Serenity had stared sightlessly into space from the moment the Princes had stridden out of the palace. But she could not resist one last look at Heero's face. Blue met blue, and Serenity stared at the sight of the beloved...no, mustn't think about that...face until it disappeared in a final flash of light. Her Senshi collapsed due to the colossal strain sending five grown men caused and were helped by their attendants. She buried her head in her hands, unconsciously reflecting Heero's gesture from a few days prior. _What had she done?_

Beryl stood. She had preparations to make before she left this body. "Well, that's over." Her voice was delighted and doubly evil. "Oh, don't worry, my dear, dear daughter...the separation won't be forever." Beryl laughed cruelly and then gestured at Endymion to get going. "Going on a walk are we?" Her violet orbs widened innocently. "Have fun, pet!" Beryl stalked away. 

"Come along, my dear." Endymion's voice was just as cruel as Beryl's. "There are no princes to help you now."

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_

This chapter goes by fast and there isn't a lot of clarification to some things. I may write a side story as to how Beryl got control of Selenity in the first place, and there are some other side stories that I might write. However, in this chapter, I just wanted you to see flashes of things that were occurring during the final days...and what the protagonists were going through. 

Hope you enjoyed...and if not, don't stop reading, just send some hate mail! 

AutumnHime 


	7. The End Approaches

**From Then, To Now, Til Later**

**Chapter 7: The End of the Silver Millennium: The ****Battle**** Begins**

**By: AutumnHime**

Serenity strolled alongside Prince Endymion as the couple moved towards the gate. They looked striking standing next to another, silver against black, light against dark, good against evil. Yet, even the people who watched them walk towards an empty part of town noted the wrongness of their being together. Serenity would be a good and kind ruler to the kingdom, much like her mother before the expulsion of the princes. Endymion had a cruel twist to his perfectly sculpted lips, and the rumors of what he had done did not paint a pretty picture for the future of the Moon Kingdom. 

"Hurry up, bitch!" Endymion snarled out of the corner of his mouth, perfectly manicured nails biting into her flesh as he propelled her forward. When Serenity stubbed her foot on a rock, simultaneously tripping due to the overlong dress and inappropriate shoes, Endymion merely yanked her arm harder. "Do they not teach grace and balance in the Moon Kingdom," He mocked.

Serenity's heart, cracked at that single instance when cobalt met sapphire, iced over once more in misery. Her shame and her anger, her disappointment and her betrayal, her anguish and her love all vanished back into a molten core in the center of the frozen mass that was her heart. She sank back into the blessed darkness of no emotions. 

"MOVE!" Endymion commanded, shoving her to get going. 

They finally reached their destination. Serenity looked around in confusion. A huge black marble gate covered in the kind of crystal that the Silver Imperium Crystal could create stood in the center of an otherwise desolate area. Endymion and she were the only two things moving for an entire two block radius. 

"Wha...What am I doing here, Endymion?" Serenity asked, hesitantly. The space near the gate felt dark and evil...malevolent. Serenity backed away slowly, as if not trying to awaken whatever danger lay sleeping in the gate. 

"Come on, Princess Sereni-slut, don't you want to see what happens when you touch it?" Endymion jeered, navy orbs glinting. 

Serenity shook her head as she took another step back, keeping her eyes trained upon Endymion, and found herself trapped by a steel covered arm. 

"That's too bad, princess, because you are going to." Endymion crowed. He threw Serenity forward, causing her to crash with concentrated momentum into the crystalline covering on the black gate. Bell tones rang out the minute one of Serenity's pale hands brushed against the forbidding structure. Light radiated outward, and with a soundless blast, the covering disappeared. 

Endymion grabbed the Princess again. "How does it feel to be the catalyst of the downfall of your kingdom, Serenity?" He asked as forced her back to the castle, for all appearances leaving the gate alone. 

"What...what do you mean?" She asked, throat dry enough to cause her to choke. 

Endymion threw back his shoulders and laughed; the sound howling throughout the still air.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Silvery hair spread fan-like across blood colored sheets. Hundreds of black candles burned; their green flames chilling and cruel. Beryl lay on the center of the massive bed in the Queen's suite. The preparations were complete. In one hour exactly, the invasion of the Moon Kingdom would occur, and she wanted to be in her own body leading her demonic horde. _Life is good, Beryl thought. "And it will be better once our invasion starts, precisely one hour from now," she sighed in delight, smugly contemplating what her victory would do to the proud queen whose body she inhabited. The Queen of the Moon Kingdom wouldn't awaken for a good five hours after the battle had begun, too late to do anything about it. _

She smiled, crimson painted lips stretching taut, closed white lids over violet orbs, and began to chant softly.

Unbeknownst to her, two shadows moved among the thousands cast by the green flamed candles. They nudged the ones that spelled out in magic the five hours before Serenity woke up to the shortest period of time the could get it...one-hundred and fifty minutes. Hopefully that wouldn't be too late to do something about the invasion. The shadows looked at one another, red eyes meeting blue, and the yin and yang cats raced out of the room, as the black light that was Beryl speared upward from Queen Selenity's body.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

"We need to get the Sailor Scouts and the Princess ready for the coming invasion, Luna!" Artemis hissed as the raced down an empty corridor. By the time that Heero had found them yesterday, it was too late to do anything besides those actions already planned by Heero, his fellow princes, and their betrotheds.

But Heero hadn't known about this. If he had, he would never have left, not when so much was at risk.

"Aye-huh knuh-owe, Art-mis!" The black cat advisor to the Queens of the Moon Kingdom huffed as what seemed like miles of the palace corridor sped by under their paws. "Hee-ee-ro a-and the-eh uh-huh-thers wa-hon't bah-be ba-hack until abo-hout the-eh ti-hime the-huh Qu-heen wakes up!"

The cats stopped short at the scream.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Serenity stared down in horror at the book that lay open in front of her. A history of the Moon Kingdom written about fifty years ago declared that the scary gate that Endymion had knocked her against earlier that day was, "A portal to the NegaVerse, sealed fifty years ago by Her Majesty Selena with the Silver Imperium Crystal after the Demon Wars." It later declared that to open the gate, "One of royal blood, pure in mind and body, with the ability to wield the Silver Crystal, only needs to touch the crystal sheathed blackness and the way to the NegaVerse shall be open again." 

_WHAT HAVE I DONE! Her golden hair flew backward, blue eyes glinting with unshed silver, as Serenity screamed. A wind gathered about the Princess of the Moon, and dark energy began to coalesce about her slender form. It vanished abruptly as a slight weight landed on her shoulder and a claw-sheathed paw slapped her._

"STOP THAT, HIGHNESS!" Luna shouted, stern red eyes gazing into shocked azure ones. "THIS IS NO TIME TO THROW A TANTRUM!"

Serenity began to weep silently, pity for herself, her friends, her love, and her brother overwhelming her. She received another slap across the face for that. Serenity once more stared shocked into Luna's face, her golden hair disheveled by the sudden movements.

"Listen to me, Serenity Magdalena de La'Luna. You have a choice. You can stand here feeling sorry for yourself, weeping about the fact that perhaps you shouldn't have alienated everyone who loves you, and the fact that it appears that you've betrayed their trust, or you can do something about it. I do not know about you, but personally I would rather fight back. Call your Senshi together, Serenity...and remember that there is always hope. The NegaVerse has not won this war yet!"

Serenity could barely process what Luna said. It finally got through her thick skull. Her friends and family were at risk because of her. It would be up to her to help fix the problem. And she would do it!

She inhaled deeply, her feelings about facing those she had closed off in her eyes, and her fears about what she would see obvious in return. She let that breath out again, and took another one, closing her eyes in concentration. The Crescent Moon marking common to the royal line of the Moon Kingdom glowed on her forehead as Serenity shouted two words: "SENSHI, GATHER!"

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The reunion had been painful and teary, but she and her loyal friends had gotten through it. 

They had finished their preparations for the upcoming battle. Luna and Artemis had been assigned to guard the sleeping queen Selenity until she awoke. Her Senshi were each taking a part of the palace to direct the defense. Venus had positioned herself in the gardens below Serenity's own station. Mars was to defend the courtyard, entry hall, and teleportation devices in case emergency evacuation proved necessary. Jupiter declared the rest of the inner palace hers except Serenity's territory of the Great Hall and the Grand Ballroom. Mercury had taken the water driven defense by the baths and the harbors. The remaining nobility within the palace had gathered behind their future ruler and prepared to go to war. Serenity herself was just putting the finishing touches on her braided coronet.

The only regret she truly had was that Endymion was nowhere to be found. He had vanished, seemingly without a trace.

Behind her, a cough meant to get her attention made Serenity look in her mirror. The four Planetary Princesses stood behind her. 

"Serenity..." Sailor Mars began. "We have a chance if we can hold out for an hour. When we teleported the Princes away..." she looked at Venus to continue.

"We didn't take them off of the moon, Sere-chan. We decided that if Heero couldn't do what he was trying to, we didn't want to take the chance that they would be too far to help us if need be. We teleported them to the other side, though..."

"So it might take them a little while longer to get here. Especially since they will not use their powers until they realize a battle is going on for fear of detection." Mercury finished. 

Eyes closed, Serenity deepened her breathing as her hands clenched the chair in front of her. That was something else she had to come to grips with. Heero had never abandoned her. He loved her, forever and always, according to Venus. But if they survived this battle, how would he ever forgive her?

She walked out of the door in silence, her four guards falling in behind her. The clock began to peal, silently at first, then louder. _Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve. _

The floor shook, and the palace foundation beneath their feet groaned in protest to the evil energy that had already begun to poison their planet.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Heavy black gates swung open, and at the front of the descending crowd, a tall woman with a cruelly thin and angular body rode in a black chariot. Her hair flamed out behind her and her crimson mouth was twisted into a parody of a grin. 

The invasion of the Moon Kingdom had begun.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

I actually meant to finish this arc this chapter, but I decided not to. And you should be very proud, I'm being quite the industrious little writer...I finished this chapter in one night...two hours!!! YEAH!

The next chapter I should have out for a story will probably be in IFTC, seeing as how I haven't updated that the longest.

NEWAYZ, Hoped you enjoyed, and if you can't stand the suspense....TOO BAD!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAH I'M EVIL!

AutumnHime


	8. The Final Battle: Part 1

So, I noticed some things when I went back to reread these chapters.  I had some MAJOR mistakes.  And I apologize for the really stupid names of the powers that they have.

**From Then, To Now, Til Later**

**Chapter 8: The Final ****Battle****: Part 1**

**By: AutumnHime**

Five men wearing full battle armor in five different colors—violet-black, emerald, gold, crimson, and silver--stood united on a rise on top of Selene's Mount (1). Horror and hatred clouded their eyes as the scene in front of them unfolded in full. The stomach-wrenching scents of blood, smoke, and fear lay thick upon the air. The only sounds that carried in that atmosphere were those of the screams of dying, the calls of carrion, and the clash of swords. Bodies littered the ground en masse, demon and human still fighting as death took them. 

"What happened?" Apollo asked shock apparent. 

For a moment, nobody replied. Ares responded tersely. "We can find that out after we find the girls, the queen, and the cats and get them out of here." He turned to Shinigami whose black armor gleamed brighter as each new death gave him more power and a more terrible aura. He hesitated, reluctant to ask what he needed to. "Can you tell if they have been killed yet?" 

Shinigami shook his head, the braid swinging back and forth slowly, pendulum-like as the count down to death for a new person began. "I sense only that death hovers close to all of them. Their life force weakens every moment we stand here doing nothing."

The Gods looked at each other, and nodded, disappearing into thin air to find their beloved Princesses. 

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Mars grinned, wiping the small drop of blood off of her lip with her tongue. Her raven's hair flew around her in a wild fury. Her fuku was torn and stained, body bruised and cut, but hope, determination, and satisfaction still flamed in her eyes. The last refugee had escaped. All that was left was her and the evil that surrounded her. 

"Give it UP, demon-wimps!" She cried in defiance as the dark, shadowy creatures advanced. Their laser green eyes and carbuncle red ones pierced her. 

"Demon-wimps? Really, you think that the Senshi of Fire could think up a better insult. Seriously, is that all you have, little girl?" A slimy voice that made her think of snakes, worms, and spiders surrounded the Sailor Soldier of Mars. She whirled, falling on one knee as the ankle she had twisted in an earlier round with the demons of the Negaverse gave way beneath her. 

A man in a gray uniform stood behind her. Curly blonde hair fell into eyes with no soul. 

"Jedite." Mars spat at the newcomer's feet. "I might have guessed it was you."

"My dear Princess Rei of the planet Mars," the general sketched a courtly bow. "You should have fallen to the Negaverse when you had the chance. Now you get to witness the Negaverse use these pretty teleportation devices you protected so hard to continue our conquest of the planets within the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Alliance." Jedite clucked his tongue in false sympathy. "Too bad you sent away the only hope of rescue you had." He sighed. "Oh well, time to say good-bye, love." 

Power began to pool into the palm of his right hand, which was held away from his body at chest level. Mars was faster however. "MARS FIREBALLS IGNITE!" She screamed, and the power poured from her body into that one command.

Jedite snapped up a shield immediately. "Foolish, my dear. In your current state, you have no hope of beating me."

Mars coughed and laughed at the same time. "I was not aiming for you, traitor." She stated smugly, wiping the blood she had coughed up away from her mouth with her hand. She gestured behind him. "Try teleporting now!" 

Jedite turned around. His mouth dropped as he took in the molten gates, and he whirled to face her again. "DIE, BITCH!" He shrieked.

Black arrows of pure negative energy hit the princess. She had reverted when she expended all of her power on her last attack, and, totally defenseless, the arrows took her right in the chest. 

She heard a gasp, and felt a bright white light push inexorably against her eyelids. Squinting, Rei made out a single form in that brilliance. Apollo had finally made it. 

"DIE, JEDITE!" The cry that left the golden King's lips that day held such anguish that its like had only been heard five times throughout the whole of the Silver Millennium. The other four came within minutes of this one. 

Apollo drew light to him, turning the shining aura he gave off into a weapon. The monsters in the courtyard, all except for Jedite, died immediately. Apollo turned his terrible gaze onto Jedite next, and promised to seek retribution for his wrongs in all his forthcoming lives until he was sure Jedite would never come back. 

Apollo poured his life-force into one attack and screamed, "SOLAR RADIANCE SWORD" spearing Jedite and killing his current body. 

Apollo then collapsed next to the body of his love. Their hair twined together, forming a flame of opposites, and he drew in one slow shuddering breath, lips twisting in a sad smile. His love had worn the essence of fire for her final battle.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Normally turquoise and deep blue, the water in front of Mercury now boiled black with blood. Creatures crawled out of the water and poured down towards her from the steps leading to the harbor. Her back rested against the solid door to the baths. Her short navy hair had been streaked with the blood of the monsters. Her own blood dripped crimson down her face, her legs, and her arms. It painted her fuku red with its horrible designs. She would have trouble fending off too many more attacks. 

Mercury called upon her computer, hoping that a weakness, a possible Achilles heel; anything could be found in the monsters surrounding her. 

"Don't bother, my dear, dear, Princess Ami. We have no weaknesses. You will never be able to stop us from over running this planet and all the others that you hold so dear." The voice sent chills and tingles down the Sailor of Ice's spine, causing her to instinctively stand up straighter. She glanced up.

"I might have known, Nephrite. After all, the power and trust my family gave you never meant anything, did it?" Mercury's mouth twisted bitterly. 

Nephrite laughed harshly, "Bones! That was all you ever gave me: bones out of pity!"

Mercury sighed, saddened and disgusted by what had become of the once loyal retainer to the House of Mercury 

"I have no time for this now," the traitor claimed. "The sooner I get rid of you, the faster I have access to the rest of the palace." Nephrite, long, wavy brown hair drifting about his shoulders, began to chant. 

Mercury had no need for it. She had always wanted to save people's lives, and she knew that she was dying, unless some miracle occurred. Gathering the last of her power to make one final desperate strike, she shouted savagely, "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" thus releasing her most powerful attack. The bay froze, sealing the monsters hidden within it for all of eternity. The door behind her also froze, blocking that entrance to the palace until well into the next millennium. 

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YOU LITTLE..." Nephrite choked over his rage. 

"...now...you'll never get in..." Ami panted, returned to her normal dress with the last of her power gone. 

Nephrite snapped and Ami screamed as dark energy enclosed her, draining what little life she had left. 

A wordless scream echoing her own one of pain rang out dark with graveyards, the echo of one heard only seconds before. Energy blacker, more terrible than the Negaverse's, and yet more brilliant as well, darkened the sky. A harsh voice, cold, devoid of any softer emotion spoke from the direction of the stairs. "Bad move, Nephrite." 

"Shinigami..."Ami whispered and fainted, her coloring gray. 

Indigo eyes swept over the hordes of monsters crowding the area. The monsters fell without a sound. The God of Death then turned the power of his gaze on Nephrite. "Now, you die." he declared. He gathered all of his energy into one single area, and called his scythe back into existence. Rather than the normal green glow, the blade of his scythe had turned violet. "Dark Scythe Destroy!" Shinigami leaped into the air, aiming his attack at Nephrite. A line of power shot out, sweeping through the middle of the Negaverse general's body. 

"Enjoy my realm, jerk. And when you come back, I'll be there, too!" he muttered, tossing his braid around to lie straight down his back. He landed softly on the ground next to Ami's body, and let go of his Ultra personality. As Duo, he gathered her to him, and fell unconscious, the use of so much power too much for him.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

A deadly game of hide-and-seek had begun in the halls of the palace. Despite the blood and bruises dotting her body, and the tears and rents in her outfit, Jupiter hadn't had a really bad moment. She had avoided, often narrowly, being surrounded, by escaping down some passage that looked like a dead-end, but which she knew to have another exit. Only, that wasn't possible this time. This time, Jupiter realized, she was well and truly caught. Monsters surrounded her on all sides, and they kept streaming in from the three paths into the room. 

Oh well, I am tired of running anyway the Senshi of Jupiter thought wryly. Her chestnut hair fell down her back in scraggly waves, the band that normally held it cut. Her leaf green eyes sparked in anticipation of battle and reflected the mad light of her berserker grin. From her subspace pockets, Jupiter pulled two katanas, getting ready to fight with both magic and weaponry.

"Oh no, little girl. No one in his right mind, except for you betrothed and his sister would face you with katanas in your hands. No, those need to come," A sound like a snap came from the direction that Jupiter heard the dark and mocking voice from, "here."

The silver chased katanas disappeared from Jupiter's gloved hands. The mass of monsters laughed; a threatening and grotesque sound.

Another snapping noise ricocheted off of the walls. The monsters parted, revealing a muscular, white-haired man. A short cape draped down behind him, attached with epaulets to his outfit. 

"Malachite." Jupiter's pithy one word phrase turned the name into an epithet.

"Princess Makoto," the man nodded regally. "So nice to see you again, and what a pleasure it is to have been given the assignment to kill you. Nobody spurns the Negaverse." 

"Bite me." 

Malachite's eyes narrowed and drifted over her body coldly. "Oh, I think not. I doubt I'd find you to my taste." He inhaled deeply, regaining his composure. "While I enjoy our exchange of insults, I need to get into the room behind you. Queen Beryl wants your princess destroyed."

Jupiter flushed, and her chestnut hair crackled with contained electricity. "You will NEVER get to Serenity, not as long as I live!"

"Exactly my point, m'dear. _You are going to die." Malachite's eyes flashed. He began gathering dark energy into the palm of his white-gloved hand._

Jupiter made her move. Take my energy. Feed everything I have into this one attack, please! "Jupiter Thunder Clap Zap!" Her voice held the same booming note as the rumbling thunder. A green pocket of energy skipped straight up, crashing into a stone at the immediate center of the ceiling, from which all the arches in the room fell from. The capstone disintegrated immediately, and the roof grumbled ominously. Suddenly stone began falling from above. The arches had begun collapsing. The columns began falling shortly after as lightning ricocheted off, blocking the only entrance to the Great Hall from inside that part of the palace. 

"YOU...YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Malachite screeched, and sent a dark levin-bolt flying straight for Makoto. Unprotected and unready, Makoto flew straight into a falling column. Bones snapped in her body and Makoto screamed in pain. A moment later, she felt nothing as a whirlwind picked up her bruised body with gentle force. Its spinning kept off the rest of the debris and falling stones, shielding Makoto from further injury. 

The dust stopped flying from the destruction of the roof, and the whirlwind slowly spun to a stop. Shenlong appeared, ebony hair falling gently about his shoulders and black eyes burning with an inhuman light. 

With tenderness at odds with his expression, he set Makoto down among the rubble. The God of Dragons and Justice pivoted at a tortoise's pace on his foot. Malachite laughed nervously, scared at the chillingly calculating look being directed his way.

"Prepare to die, Malachite. And when you come back, my face will be the only one that you need to fear." 

Malachite moved faster than Shenlong had expected. A single levin-bolt caught him in the shoulder, something that would soon become a mortal wound. 

Shenlong merely laughed. "That won't stop me, Malachite." He continued approaching; a force of nature glowing faintly green. "Shining Dragon Katana..." he called, focusing all of his power on Malachite. "Help me right the injustices done by this man. DESTROY!" A single beam shaped like a dragon cleaved the very air in twain. Malachite died instantly. 

Wufei slid to the ground, keeping conscious only long enough to crawl close to Makoto, twining their hands together. 

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The mad queen laughed at the havoc she had already created...

*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

So what do we think? I originally intended that the end of the Silver Millenium would be only one chapter, but I really wanted this posted now, and I'm afraid I'm too tired to carry on with Venus's and Serenity's parts. Next time, I promise.

Hoped you liked this chapter (part)!

AH and her crazy cats wave good-bye


	9. The Final Battle: Part 2

**From Then, To Now, 'Til Later**

**Chapter 8: The Final ****Battle****, Part 2**

**By: AutumnHime**

The smell of roses, scorched earth, and blood was overpowering. Amidst the crimson blossoms, a single golden bloom stood. Shadows surrounded her, swirling and circling too quickly for the human eye to catch. The golden bloom dropped to one knee as claw marks and scratches appeared on her body. Blood oozed, thick and dark. 

_*Help me, guardian planet Venus, help me to defeat these demon spawn!* The Senshi of Venus screamed mentally, gazing at the twinkling heavens while keeping an eye on the minions of Beryl that flanked her. A thin red line trailed over an eyelid, slithering over one pale cheek. The orange and blue uniform of the Princess of the Moon's captain of the guard had been destroyed. The bow at the back was gone, and her skirt had been torn to shreds._

"How now the famed beauty of the Princess Venus?" A single voice mocked. The speaker appeared above Venus's head in a cyclone of rose petals, her (1) blond hair tied back by a green ribbon, and the grey outfit she wore immaculate. 

"Zoisite," Venus croaked; hatred and pity blazing in her cerulean eyes. "What do you want? No matter how hard you try, someone else will always be more beautiful than you, for beauty is something of the soul, not of the skin!"

"How dare you!" A whipcrack of power sliced open Venus's other cheek. "Besides, once we take over the castle and kill off those two last scions of the royal Moon line, no one will be thought to be more beautiful than I. And they will die, just as soon as my fiends kill you!" Zoisite laughed, a horrendously high, tittering giggle, one of impending doom and already victorious evil. 

_*Here my daughter, take this last gift. But if you use it, beware * A bright sphere of light formed in front of the Princess of Venus's face. Inside the glowing ball, a stone sword waited to be clasped. She struggled to her feet, reaching out for the hilt. Zoisite, too caught up in her evil plans, noticed the sword too late. _

"KILL HER!" She screamed to the grinning monsters. 

Venus responded with the last of her strength. "ARTEMIS SWORD," she screamed the battle cries of a warrior going to her doom and relishing it, "SWEEP!" Venus spun, destroying wave after wave of the demonic horde. The dead piled up until the glowing top that the Soldier of Venus and the sword formed begun to slow, began to wobble, just a bit. The monsters pressed in again, eager for the kill. Venus crashed to the ground, transforming back into Minako during the fall. Yet the hard landing that she had expected never came. A wordless scream of pain, the fourth of those sounded that night, hair-raising and mind shattering in its intensity filled the night to the point where the air itself seemed to shriek, and then shattered even that; and immediately before her bruised and battered body met the earth, arms grasped her. She had barely enough time to gaze into Nanashi's concerned green gaze before the earth spun once more, black dots waltzed in front of her eyes, and she tumbled free of her mortal coil. 

Nanashi set Minako gently upon a bed of lilies. His eyes changed from their concerned look to one of emerald hardness. He glared at Zoisite. 

"Oh dear, did I hurt your beloved? Sooo sorry," she mocked, unaware of the danger that Nanashi truly posed. 

The normally quiet god grew savage. "Zoisite, for the crimes you have committed against the Reign of the Moon, you will die. For the death of my fiancee, if I were you, I'd pray that you are never reborn. Every time silence suddenly falls, you will fear that I am right behind you, and I will be. You will have to live in constant noise, never a peaceful, quiet moment, for I will stalk you from this day forward, through this millennium and the next and every one after that. You will grow slowly insane and ever more paranoid, until one day, when you least expect it, I'm in front of you and you die once again." The cold rage in his eyes suddenly ignited, as he gathered what energy he had left from getting here so quickly into a single attack. "Now DIE! SILENT ARROW STRIKE!" 

Crimson burst through the air as Trowa sank down next to Minako, touching her golden hair once more and cocooning himself in the silence, before he drifted peacefully into a coma. 

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

In an untouched corner of the Palace of the Moon, a sleeping woman stirred on a bed. The two cats sitting at the foot held their breath and waited. 

The sheets rustled again. Silvery lavender hair drifted lazily across satin pillows. A face pure and strong in its beliefs twitched, and eyelids rose to reveal wise sapphire eyes. Queen Selenity had finally awoken. She glanced down at her two advisors' faces. 

The cats responded to the unspoken question in her face. "Your Majesty, the Moon Kingdom is under attack. Beryl and her hordes escaped their prison and have descended upon us without mercy. We can no longer feel four of the Princesses' energy." Luna stated. 

"Serenity?" The queen's voice drew out the name into a question, breathless, afraid of the answer. 

Artemis merely shook his head. "She's the only one that still has some energy left, but how much longer..."

The queen ran out of the bedroom before he could finish his statement.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 

Above the garden resting place where Minako and Trowa lay in peace, Serenity paced the marble balcony. She had felt every single one of her friends and guardians die, heard their last thoughts and wished them a peaceful rest. They would be called back. They always were. But for a little while they could drift in that warm oblivion. 

"I'm sorry, my friends," she whispered softly, "Sorry that I was stubborn and blind and a fool." Her eyes, haunted by the deaths of the last few hours, drifted closed. 

"That's right, Serenity. You are a pathetic excuse of a Lunarian noble." Endymion's voice oozed out from behind a column, his words burning Serenity's heart, as the cretin of Earth stepped around the column. The black armor he had worn earlier pulled all the light in the room into it. "And now, you are going to die, moon-bitch. I wish I had time to torture you more, but it was so much fun to watch you wallow in self-pity and torment yourself that I already feel revenged for the insult you and your friends gave me that first day." He drew his sword, dark and gleaming with the silvery red blood of the people of the Empire of the Moon.

"I am harder to kill than you think, bastard." Serenity hissed; eyes luminescent with her anger. She called upon the silvery long sword given to her by the Princes of the Planets in case, they had said, they were no longer there to protect her. "En garde, Prince," She spat and lunged at the Prince's heart. 

Silver and black lights clashed and danced back and forth across the room. Surprise had been Serenity's single hope, for despite her skill, she had only been training with the sword for two weeks. Endymion, driven back with the Tsuki no hime's first attack, quickly regained his balance and played with Serenity. A cut there, a slice here, and the Moon Princess began to falter. Another few movements of the sword minuet, and she began to tremble in exhaustion, and from blood loss. 

"Give up, Serenity, and I may kill you quickly."  The Prince of Earth offered as he continued to torment her with his superior weapons skills.

"I will not give up, Endymion. You may destroy me, but you will have to do it without my help." She lunged forward on her last word, slicing open the Prince of Earth's cheek. Endymion raised a single startled hand, before raising his sword for the final blow at the unprotected princess. 

Serenity bowed her head, waiting for the sword to drop and take her away from this life. It never fell. 

Swords clanged together once more. "You won't leave me that easily, Sere-chan," a husky voice teased. In front of her, a dark grin on his face as he glanced back at his beloved princess, Ares stood, locked in combat with the evil prince. 

"Ares!" Endymion screamed in frustration, focusing his attack on this latest defender of the Moon. Ares slowly forced Endymion back, back toward the balcony, and back toward the door. With every swing of the sword, Endymion lost ground. Endymion gave up. At his current level of power he was no match for the God of War. He turned, swift even in his black armor, and raced for the ledge. He jumped, reaching out to Queen Beryl, drifting along in space. With his sword pointed to her, Endymion cried out, "HELP ME, O QUEEN!"

Beryl smiled evilly, red hair flying back, as she pointed her hands to her servant and sent a ball of dark energy towards him.

Ares cursed. "Stay here, Serenity," he snarled, preparing to jump off the balcony.  He paused, one foot on the railing. "Serenity," he declared more gently, "I love you." With that statement, and a flick of one of his hands back towards the Princess of the Moon, he leapt towards Endymion. 

Serenity ran to the balcony rail. "HEERO!!!" she cried, catching the golden star-shaped locket that he had thrown her. "ARES!!!!"

Beryl prepared an attack. The dark power flowed, striking Ares with nega-energy formed lightning. 

Serenity cried out, feeling his pain, and jumped off of the balcony as well, mindful only of her need to get to him. Sparkling drops of diamonds left Serenity's eyes, her commander's uniform changing into the gown of the Princess of the moon. Her coronet reformed into her formal hairstyle, as her hands reached for her love. Heero turned; stretching his hands out as well as another wave of dark energy overtook them. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The wail, the fifth one to be heard in all of the history of the Moon Kingdom, burst from the lips of Queen Selenity. Selenity, seeing the broken body of her daughter and the man her daughter loved, did the only thing she could to save her only child. 

"SILVER IMPERIUM CRYSTAL LOCK!" she screamed. Energy burst out of her chest, bathing her and all of the palace grounds in a silvery sphere of light. As the energy hit it, the darkness screamed and vanished, caught up in the crystal itself. As it came to the fallen Senshi and Princes, it gently picked them up, bathing their wounds until no physical scar was left upon the body. They were then sealed inside of the crystal as well, to sleep for a millennia before waking up to a life where they would never have to face this anguish again, she hoped. Unfortunately, the Queen, from the position she had stood, thought that Endymion had been helping the Moon Kingdom to fight. He was not locked back into the Negaverse, but left to roam free...to seek evil again. 

The light gently faded, leaving Queen Selenity resting upon a dais of rock. "Luna, Artemis...I'm sending you to earth with the last of my strength. Take care of my daughter...and her court..." The queen waved one pale hand, and another flash of light caught up the two royal advisors and tumbled them gently to earth. 

The queen cushioned her head against the stone bier. She was just about to let go when the four outer guardians arrived. "YOUR MAJESTY!" They all cried, rushing towards the fallen queen. 

The queen smiled, drained from her last use of the Imperium Crystal. "My loyal outer Senshi, I have tasks for all of you. Saturn," she called the youngest of the Senshi, and the most troubled yet also one of the purest souls to ever exist. "You will be reborn. The other senshi will have no cause to remember you, their memories will be gone. Be wary of whom you deal with, and do not fear the dark, my Soldier of Rebirth. Light will always find you." Saturn bowed, black hair tumbling forward, violet eyes sparkling with unshed tears. 

"Uranus and Neptune," The queen summoned the next two. "My two fiercest and gentlest protectors, you too will be reborn on Earth. Do not forget one another, and always remember to search for the Messiah of Light. She will appear. However, your job is to protect the galaxy from outer threats, first and foremost, as always. Do what you must!" Golden and aquamarine hair fell gently as the two Princesses of Uranus and Neptune bowed and backed away. 

"Pluto," The Senshi of Time stepped forward, key staff lightly chinking on the ground. Her wide maroon eyes registered only concern. The queen smiled, knowing Pluto already knew her task. Her duties as queen, however, made her say it. "I ask that you guard the Gates of Time from all invaders. As you know, this means that of all of the Senshi, only you will not be reborn at approximately the same time as the rest. I'm sorry for the loneliness you must endure, and please realize that I do not do this to punish you. I do it to protect the galaxy!" The queen's words became shorter, harsher, as breathing became harder.

"You three..." The queen gasped, closing her eyes, "must remember your pure hearts..." Her hand, upraised to point at Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto, fell without control to the queen's side. 

Pluto banged her staff against the ground. "The Queen of the Silver Millennium is dead. All mourn for the end of this glorious reign, and the death of a great queen." 

Uranus followed through, as if in ritual. With great dignity, the four stepped out of the queen's burial chamber, serious and silent. Uranus turned, and raised a short sword sparkling with jewels to the heavens above her. She pointed the sword without a word to where the queen lay. The marble stones of the palace crumbled around, forming a tomb around the last ruler of the Silver Millennium. 

Still without words, Pluto waved a single last good-bye and stepped through a portal opened with her keystaff to the Time Gates. Saturn, silent, tapped her glaive three times upon the rubble that had once been the most revered site in the galaxy. 

Once. Life. 

Twice. Death. 

Thrice. Rebirth. 

A sphere of purple light grew from the glaive's point. Hotaru, Haruka, and Michiru gathered together, as the last scions of the royalty of the Silver Millennium disappeared (*).

*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

End Arc 1--the Silver Millennium.

(1) I know that in some cases, Zoisite is considered a guy, but I decided that the part fit her better as a female.

*--Selenity couldn't control the range of the Imperium crystal, so when she used it, everybody, all of the planets' royalty, etc. disappeared. They left only ruins which would be discovered some millennia afterwards.

If you liked this arc, please tell me. I need to know if I should actually write the next one and post it. I can always dream it in my head! 

AH


	10. Arc 2: Chapter 1: New beginnings

****

1/24/04 Alright, before you threaten to kill me, I tried to make everybody's name different, first and last.  So:  Heero=Hiiro; Quatre=Cat; Trowa=Triton; and the girls have gone to the American names. Ok? Duo and Wufei are staying the same because, frankly, its hard to come up with a substitute.

****

****

**From Then, To Now, Til Later **

**Arc 2: The years before Crystal Tokyo******

**Chapter 1 (aka 10): Two Thousand Years later******

Two thousand years had passed since the great battle on the Moon, and only in legend was it recalled. People's memories fade, and with time, so do even the greatest of walls wear away. The Negaverse was rising again.

*_*_*_*_*_*_**__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_

FOURTEEN YEARS BEFORE

On a clear, balmy night in mid-June, a golden haired baby girl was born to a young couple, barely wed a year. Right after her birth, a luminescent beam of moonlight struck her forehead, revealing the faint outline of a golden crescent moon, upturned. It faded away as quickly as it had appeared. The baby's eyes opened blue and squinty. Fathomless wisdom and sorrow darkened them. Then they changed, closing once again, locking away all knowledge of past lives and pain. The couple named the young girl Serena Bunny Tsukino.

She was the last of the original scions of the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Millennium to be born, except for one. Saturn would not appear on this earth for another three years.

"And so it begins once more…" The shadow in the window sighed to herself, leaning lightly on her staff. She then turned and disappeared.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

THE PRESENT

"Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…" A loud feminine voice wailed hysterically. "I'm going to be late again. Mother, why didn't you wake me up?" A petite blonde whirlwind dashed through the kitchen grabbing her lunch and stuffing her face with breakfast at the same time before racing to the door, shucking her house shoes for her school ones.

"Oh, Serena," Ikuko sighed and shook her head, causing her purple hair to fall in resigned waves. "When will you ever grow up?"

"She never will, Mom." A twelve-year old¹ boy grinned up at her. "See ya later, I'm off as well."

"Have a nice day, Shingo." Ikuko waved good-bye and wondered how she had ended up with two such drastically different kids. 

She looked down at the street and the receding dust cloud and sighed once more, before turning to go back inside. "At least they eat alike." 

*************************************  
"Come on, Wufei!" Raye shouted at her two-year older 'brother'. "I'm going to be late!"

"Be quiet, woman." The skinny black haired teenager demanded. "I'm still deciding what to wear."

"Wufei, we go to a school that requires uniforms. You don't have much choice." Raye pointed out in a logical and frustrated manner.

"Right." The ebony-eyed teen that walked out wore much the same thing that Raye herself did, only in pants, not a fuku.

"FINALLY!" Raye sighed, grabbing Wufei by the elbow and propelling him down the steps of the temple. "Bye, Grampa! See ya after school!" She shouted over her shoulder to the wizened raisin of a man running around the rooftops doing flips.

"Good-bye, Sensei." Wufei called as well.

"Be bad, children!" The crazy old man called back.

Raye groaned and shook her head, not slowing her breakneck pace.

Wufei laughed. 

************************************

"Hey, Amy!" A lilting voice called to a blue-haired young teen that had just stepped out of the door of an apartment complex.

The girl's head turned to see who had called her name. Aqua eyes scanned the street until they alit upon a young man in black jeans and white shirt, leather jacket and backpack tossed lazily over his shoulder, and with his medium length hair clubbed into a short ponytail. Her eyes sparkled and she greeted the sixteen-year old. "Hey, Duo! Haven't seen you lately!"

"No kidding. It wouldn't be because we aren't next-door neighbors; because we are…of course it might be because you never take your nose out of your books…" The mischievous brunette mused and then looked at his friend again. "Want a ride to school?"

Ami considered for a few minutes. If she didn't take the offered ride, her friend would not be offended, but she would have to suffer a long bus ride. At least if Duo took her, she didn't have to worry about being late, only her neck.

She looked up again.

"Do DO Do do, do Do DO, DO dodo do do do doo do do." Duo was humming the Jeopardy theme. The humming stopped. "So, what's your answer, sweetheart?" He asked in a falsetto Bogart impression.

"Okay," she laughed. "Just promise that I'll arrive in one piece."

"I'll do better than that," Duo replied, sweeping an arm in a bow to indicate both direction and that she should precede him. "I'll get you there in one piece and alive!"

*******************************************

At the same moment, across two continents, similar expressions of disbelief crossed the faces of two different people.

"YOU did WHAT?!" The beautiful young Japanese superstar currently living in London screamed.

"Why didn't you inform me of this earlier!?" the heir to an ancient noble European family currently spending time in Japan shouted.

The parents of both, at exactly the same time as if the conversation had been synchronized, repeated. "We have arranged a marriage for you. Your future spouse is a good person, and we feel that it is for the best."

The two teens, one blonde, blue-eyed and fourteen years old, and the other a seventeen-year old brunette with green eyes muttered under their breaths in unison: "Yeah, the best for you." 

**********************************************

A tall dark man with no fashion sense whatsoever walked down the bustling streets of the city. He was contemplating how to earn enough money to study abroad in America.

A blonde bullet raced around the corner, knocking him down.

"HEY YOU," he shouted, shaking his fist at the faster than light object rapidly fading into the distance. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! PEOPLE LIKE YOU SHOULD BE SHOT!"

To his surprise, the person, who turned out to be a blonde girl with the funniest hair, dashed back, stuck her tongue out at him, and dashed away.

"Bitch," The man called Darien snarled, ignoring the fact that she seemed familiar.

***********************************************

A platinum blond haired, cerulean eyed teenager stood in front of a gated entrance. He tossed the single leather bag that he carried over a shoulder height brick wall, and proceeded to jump it with little problem. Picking up his bag, he then walked up to the front door. He knocked.

When a purple haired lady with a pile of clothing in her arms answered the door, the sight that met her was a teenager wearing khaki pants and a cream-colored shirt. He smiled hesitantly and greeted the woman. "Hi, Aunt Ikuko!"

Ikuko shrieked, dropping her clean laundry. "CAT! What are you doing here!? Never mind that," she interrupted herself. "Come in, come in! You must be hungry!"

Like a mother hen, she hustled Cat down the hall to the kitchen, setting a large plate of food in front of him.

Cat smiled. "Actually, Aunt, I was wondering if I could stay here for a while. I have some things I need to do in the area and the commute from the city would kill me."

Ikuko smiled as well. "Of course you can. But you have to go to school. You can share Shingo's room."

Cat sat back in his chair and began to eat. "Thanks." 

******************************************

"Class, we have a new student joining us. Please accompany me in making him feel welcome." The teacher announced with a nasal twang. The door slid open, shadowing the new student's face. "Please come in and tell everyone your name."

The new student strode to the center of the front of the classroom. His walk had purpose to it, but no urgency. "My name is Hiiro deBello²."

Three pairs of eyes landed on the slim figure. One set belonged to a quiet, reflective green-eyed European. The second belonged to a mischievous young man with indigo eyes.  The third belonged to a black-haired Chinese teen with a strong sense of right and wrong.

The same thought echoed through their heads. _I know this guy._

"You may sit down in the empty seat three rows up, Hiiro. I hope that you find life here enjoyable."

Hiiro walked to his seat.

Class had begun.

*****************************************

"Lita, Lita, Lita…what am I going to do with you?" A petite brunette with rosy cheeks shook her head back and forth in despair. "That was the third school you've been kicked out of. You promised you'd be good."

"I know, mother." A 5'10" chestnut-haired, green-eyed teenager replied. She knew better than to give excuses to her mother, but the kids at that school had refused to accept her. They called her names and made fun of her for her record. Even those people that had wanted to be her friends at first left when they heard about the other schools she had left and how she had been kicked out for being violent. She tried, but…

"Lita, are you listening to me?" Her mother demanded.

"Yes, mother. I shall try harder at the next school." Lita replied woodenly.

"I hope that you do. It's your last chance."

The car pulled up in front of Lita's new school. Lita stepped out.

"Good luck, dear. BE GOOD, and stay out of fights!"

Lita entered her new school. It was after all, a bright new day.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

I have no idea how old Shingo really is. I didn't want to put Yui. All of the other Gundam pilots will have different last names as well. (It means (appx.) of war, about war, for those of you who wish to know why I came up with that.) 

So all of the main characters have been introduced. HURRAH!!! Some of them are awkward, I know, but I'm trying to come up with something different than my plot for one of my other stories, and that takes me a little time…after all who wants to read the same story in two different areas?

Any questions? Comments? Review! and I'll do my best to answer by e-mail or at the top of my next chapter.

Ciao, bambini (as one of my friends would say)

AH


	11. New Acquaintances

**From Then, To Now, Til Later **

**Arc 2: The years before Crystal Tokyo**

**Chapter 2: New friends? New colleagues? Or simply new renewed thousand year old acquaintances?**

**By: AutumnHime**

Lunch had finally arrived. The day was beautiful, a great day for sitting outside and eating. The sun shone gently upon the welcoming countenances of the students of Jubaan Junior High. The trees whispered secrets to one another and the flowers bordering the paths around the school compound nodded in agreement.

"Isn't this a wonderful day?" Serena asked the world in general. She and her friends had decided to eat outside today, enjoying the nice weather.

"Certainly, Serena." Molly replied. "Why else would we be eating out here?"

"Yea, Serena." Melvin agreed. "Sometimes you can be a real ditz, y'know?" He pushed up his glasses and peered at the blonde. "You look happy today."

"Because it's a beautiful day!"

A commotion in the corner of the garden attracted her attention. 

"Heh! Why don't ya hit me, ya freak?" I heard you've been kicked out by three other schools. Can't get your act together?" One of the popular jocks had decided to exercise his power by picking on a girl about Serena's age, with brown hair and two pieces of bangs dangling into her face.

"Serena gasped. "That jerk!"

"Leave me alone." The command that issued from the girl's mouth was cool, calm.

"Look, guys! I think she is a scaredy cat. I bet that rumors of her skills are way over-rated. She probably made them up herself to cover up bad grades."

His friends laughed uproariously, as if that was the funniest and wittiest thing ever said.

The girl ignored them.

Serena's fists began to ball up, and her eyes developed hard glints of sapphire.

Another fight or at least more taunting had brewed almost adjacent to the first one. 

Three more school bullies had decided to pick on Amy Mitchell, the smartest girl in school. A tall, blonde pompous oaf by the name of Rob Eedee shoved her down into the dirt. 

"Not so smart without your books, huh? I said do my homework and what I say, goes."

Amy's glasses had been knocked off in the fall. She did not need them, but they came in handy as a way to ignore the horrible teasing that came her way. Her hands searched the dust as if she could not see without them.

"Look, the little bookworm's helpless without her glasses." A crunching sound ensued and then something hard and metallic slapped Amy in the chest. "Oops, I think I broke them."

His cronies laughed, causing Rob to puff up like a strutting rooster.

Serena had had enough. She began to stand, the wild light in her eyes increasing.

"Serena, no." Molly cried, "You'll only cause more trouble for yourself."

"Molly's right, Serena. There is a 99% chance that you'll be drawn into the bullying as well." Melvin declared, pushing his glazed glasses up his nose again.

"Besides, the brunette is said to be dangerous and Amy is standoffish. Why should you stick your neck out for her?"

Serena shook her head. "I have no idea, maybe because it feels right." She walked over to where Amy still sat, and, ignoring the three jerks, offered her a hand up. Amy took it, albeit hesitantly. Serena offered her a smile. "Serena Tsukino, at your service."

"Hey, babe, why are you helping the dweeb instead of fawning over a cool person like me?" Rob asked.

"Because the only cool person that I see is the dweeb. At least she knows what the word jailbait means."

Amy spoke up. "Thanks for your help, Serena. But I didn't need it, and you probably made things worse." She walked away.

Serena eyes darkened for a moment at the blue-haired girl's rejection then shrugged and went on to the next victim of the widely supported bullying system in the school. She again ignored the jocks and went straight to the brunette teen sitting calmly on a bench. "Name's Serena Tsukino. Want to eat with my friends?"

"Look, whatever you've heard about me, it's probably true. I'm a loner, I like to fight, and I do not need anyone who simply wants the gawk value of being seen with me. Go away." Emerald eyes blazed into Serena's, followed by a sense of recognition and immediate forgetfulness. The azure orbs in the blonde's face flashed with hurt for the second time that day, before Serena turned around and simply walked away.

_Crap._ Lita silently rebuked herself. _She could have come around to be nice. Did I have to be rude to the first person that tried to introduce herself?_

She stood up, glared at the jocks gazing dumbfounded—although they wouldn't know what that word meant, Lita thought—and stalked off back to her class.

_ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ * _ *  

"BAKA!" Wufei screamed across the hall, trying desperately to get the brunette's attention. Triton--a long-time friend whose parents had been friends of his parents--stood beside him.

Finally, the screaming Chinese man managed to attract the attention of the brash American. Duo moseyed over, enjoying the growing irritation on the ebony-haired teen's face.

Duo, after two minutes of his snail's pace, finally reached the duo. "Whatcha want, Wuffers?" A piece of bubblegum cracked in his mouth.

Visibly making an attempt to stay calm, Wufei take a deep breath and then spoke. "We want to do some research on that guy—Hiiro deBello. He seems…" Here the Chinese paused, dark eyes cat slits in concentration. "He seems not only familiar but…"

Triton, the tall European that Wufei was constantly with, finished for his friend. "It's almost déjà vu. Not only that but he feels trustworthy—like family. Kind of how we felt upon first meeting each other."

Duo nodded, indigo eyes turning inward. "I know whatchyer saying. And you want me to help, but I can't. I have a friend I have to pick up from Jubaan." He walked away swiftly—then stopped. "Tell me if you find anything." He soon disappeared down the seemingly endless halls of the now-empty school.

"I wonder what's up with that idiot." Wufei mused.

His friend simply shrugged. "We should start our research."

_ * _ * _ * _ * _ * 

Cat waited with his helmet in hand outside of the gates to Jubaan. His cousin Serena should be out at any second, according to Ikuko. Looking around, the platinum haired male noticed another bike down the row. 

He got off of his own and started to examine the other vehicle. "This thing is sweet! I can't believe somebody in this school could own this." Cat, eyes full of admiration for the well-tended and glowing piece of machinery, failed to notice the arrival of another bike.

A voice, dark and mischievous, interrupted his thoughts. "You own this bike, man?"

Cat straightened from his stoop, and turned to look at the newcomer standing next to his motorcycle. "That I do." He replied easily.

"Nice, dude." The man lifted his visor and dark indigo eyes clashed with Cat's sunny cerulean ones. The connection formed instantly.

Cat broke into a huge relieved grin. "Selene, but it's good to see you, Duo."

"The same, Quatre. When did you realize?" Duo's piercing purple gaze turned nearly black.

The happy light in Cat's eyes turned serious. "Actually, it's Cat in this lifetime. But that doesn't really matter." He sighed. "I had an accident about a year back. I was in a coma for about two months and when I woke up, the knowledge…at least part of it, was there. That's why I'm here. I found a computer at an arcade that calls itself Central a few weeks back as I was running the 'Net to find out any information that I could. After finding only snippets of legends, I could not believe my luck. It told me that in order to find my answers, I had to come here." Cat stopped as the dark-haired man started laughing. "What?"

"To begin with, I regained my knowledge about ten years ago. I'm not sure what my name was or who my parents are in this time, but like you, I now have some knowledge of the past. I set up Central, in fact. It appears that Luna and Artemis are here as well, and Central is my way of keeping tabs on them without their remembering us." Duo smiled. "I am glad to see you, my friend. We can talk more later. It appears that school is out."

Cat glanced towards the doors of the school and the waves of humanity coming towards them, and nodded. "I will find you later." He waved at his furiously waving, bouncy blonde cousin who had caught sight of him as she walked out of the building. Duo also waved at someone, a short blue-haired female who smiled happily when she saw him. Another girl, this one brunette, appeared next to the motorcycle that Cat had been admiring earlier. 

"You have a nice bike, Miss. I don't think that I've seen one that glowed that bright before." He complimented her as Serena walked up to his bike.

The brunette flashed him a grin that brightened her emerald eyes, put on her helmet, and zoomed off. Duo quickly followed her, him and his friend zipping away in the opposite direction, Duo raising a hand in farewell.

"Ooomph!" Cat grunted, as a small fist hit him in the chest. "What was that for, Serena?"

His cousin glared at him. "That was for not greeting me." She punched him again. "And that was for not giving me a hug."

Cat chuckled, a light, rich sound. "Sorry." He hugged her. "Good to see you again, little coz. Hop on, today is free ride service day as provided by Sol unlimited."

"Woohoo!" Serena exclaimed, clambering up the back of the machine. She held on tight as her cousin took off, enjoying the speed, and contemplating the day.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

I know, I know. We all thought that I was dead and that I would never upload another chapter. Oh well, we was wrong. So How's did you's like the second chapter of the second arc of my story? You know the drill.

I'll catch you later

AutumnHime

O_O I've also realized that there are problems with certain things like what in heck would a middle-school girl be doing with a motorcycle (or scooter, take your pick)


	12. Something Unfolds, maybe laundry?

**Chapter 3: Something Unfolds…maybe laundry?**

**By: AutumnHime**

"So how was your day?" Duo asked his blue-haired companion as they both stepped off the motorcycle in front of the apartment complex in which they lived.****

"It was okay," Amy replied, but the smile on her face lacked conviction and her eyes had a few glimmers of shadow in them.

"C'mon Ames. I know you better than that. The glasses that you don't need but always wear have disappeared and your uniform is sporting grass stains. What happened today?" Duo questioned his friend once more, indigo eyes gazing into her cerulean ones.

"I got picked on by bullies again, okay? This time they pushed me into the mud and stepped on my glasses."

"That generally doesn't bother you, Amy. What's the rest of it?" Duo pushed.

"The guy you were waving at as we left school? The girl that approached him tried to help me during lunch. But I just blew her off and now I feel horrible. She was only trying to be friendly and nobody else at that school even tries."

"Don't worry about it, Ames. Just find her and apologize to her. Everything will be okay," Duo comforted his friend, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "By the way, what did you say that bully's name was?"

"Rob Eedee. Why?" A light dawned in her eyes as she realized to whom she was talking. "Duo, you can't. Don't!"

"Huh? What did you say, Amy?" Duo looked confused for a second. "Never mind. I'll see you later." With that, Duo got back on his bike and roared up the street towards the red sun hanging low in the sky.

"Stupid boys who never listen," Amy fumed. "I'd better go after him." She ran a few yards, stopped, and realized she had no idea where he had been going. "Stupid boys," she muttered once again. Head high, indignation written all over her face, she spun around and stalked back to the complex.

*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_

"Sorry, Ames, but guys shouldn't pick on girls." Duo grinned maniacally as he gunned the engine of his motorcycle.

A few minutes later, having stopped long enough to look up Rob Eedee's address, Duo pulled up in front of a nice bi-level house in a nice quiet suburb.

"Guess you just can't tell with some families," Duo muttered the cliché deadpan before ringing the buzzer.

"Yes?" A tinny voice came through the intercom. It crackled with static.

"Mr. Eedee? My name is Duo Morrise. I have a package for you from Amy Mitchell. She said it had something to do with your homework?"

"Really? I'll be down in a second." A minute or so later, a teenager came out of the house. Good-looking, clean-cut appearance, in general a seemingly nice, friendly guy, Duo noted off-hand. That wouldn't help the boy. He always knew the people that the hand of Death would touch. This was one of them.

"Just a minute, please. Let me open this gate." Duo stood idly, waiting for the teen to finish, listening to trees and enjoying the sun on his face. 

"All right. Give me the papers." Rob blinked. The messenger guy had disappeared. Wind whipped at his back and suddenly the bully felt a hand on his neck.

"Who…who the hell are you?"

"Let's just say that I'm a friend of Amy's. If you touch her, threaten her, get your cronies to hurt her, or cause her pain of any sort, I will come after you. In fact, if she comes home with any expression other than happiness, even if you had nothing to do with it, I will come after you. And so you don't forget, my mark is now on your neck. Oh…and Death doesn't lie. I would be very careful, if I were you."

Before Rob Eedee could turn around, Shinigami had disappeared; bike, leather jacket, and all.

*_*_**_*_*_*_*_***_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_**_*__*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_***_* 

"That was fun." Duo smiled as the now pasty boy rushed back into his house to lock the doors, the windows, and find a suitable weapon…probably a spork. "Now to find the girl that Amy said tried to help her."

Duo thought for a moment, sorting the energies of the people in the city. Most people fell into the lowest class. They could not focus their energies into physical constructs, and their wellsprings were limited. These he colored white. The next level were much fewer, maybe one for every hundred of the lowest class. These were the normal psychics—empaths, a few telepaths, the rare telekinetic, and even the occasional pre-cog. They had the ability to use slightly more of their brain than normal humans, generally did not realize their own powers, and who relegated any uncanny experiences to intuition or coincidence. These he colored purple. Next came the actual ranking psychics. They appeared at about a one for every thousand of the first level. They had the same powers as the second rank, but more horsepower to their engines, say. He colored these green. The fourth rank, and he was surprised to find the seven or eight he did in the city, had more powers than even that. They had a lot more oomph to everything they did, generally realized what they were doing and probably could rival Wufei and Triton at the moment for power…that would change when Triton and Wufei woke up, of course, but for now…these he colored blue. The last group contained people that were the avatars of gods, more or less. They should have been at a ratio of one to 999,999,999. And this was true for the world. In the city, however, there were more than there should have been. The only two he knew personally with that much power were himself and Cat because they had woken up. The actual amount was three…and the only person that he knew that could have that power at this time was…

_Ares! Ares, damn your eyes, answer me!_ Duo called. _I know you can hear me._ Duo unfortunately received no reply, and the energy he knew had to be Ares faded until it was at a level with normal humans and he lost it. "Huh…that's a neat trick…wonder where he learned that?" Duo muttered, confused.

"Alright, let's try Cat."

_Cat…Cat…earth to Cat…_Duo yelled telepathically.

_Yes, Duo?_ Cat's reply came back in what Duo perceived as streams of light, just as Duo knew that Cat perceived his voice as being dark.

_Hey, Cat, you know that girl you picked up from school today?_

_Yes?_

_Where can I find her?_

_Why? _Cat's voice contained a little more than just curiosity. There was a level of protectiveness that Duo had not expected.

_I need to thank her for trying to help the friend that I drove home today._

_ She's with me currently, so if you'd care to home in, this is our location._ Cat sent a picture of a small quiet café on an avenue shady with oaks.

_Great.__ I'll be right there, _Duo told him. 

Two minutes later, Duo entered the small café and waved at the duo.

"Hey, Cat, how's it going?" He asked casually.

"Not too bad, Duo." The blonde man smiled at his brunette friend before turning back to an openly curious Serena. "Serena, I'd like to introduce you to Duo…"

_Morrise__,_ Duo supplied telepathically.

Without missing a beat, Cat continued. "…Morrise. Duo, this is my cousin Serena Tsukino."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Duo. Would you care to join us?" Serena gestured expansively at the booth. 

"I don't know," Duo replied as he slid in next to Cat. "Who's paying?"

"Cat." Serena deadpanned, her bright blue eyes glinting with laughter.

"Excellent. I'll have the whole menu." Duo winked, and customers throughout the café turned to stare at the happy trio as their laughter pealed throughout the rest of the building.

Their laughter, finally dying into small hiccups and giggles, started back up again as all three grabbed at the same napkin to wipe their eyes. When the hysteria finally ended, Duo's expression became serious.

"Actually, Serena, I would like to thank you."

Serena looked confused. "For what? I don't know you, do I?"

"No, you don't. But you know a friend of mine, Amy Mitchell."

"Amy? Yeah, she goes to school with me."

"Well, I wanted to thank you on hers and my behalf, and apologize on her behalf. She told me you tried to help her this afternoon when she had been ganged up on by bullies, and she told me that she brushed you off. She doesn't have too many friends so saying thank you is slightly difficult for her. It was very kind of you to try to help." Duo gazed straight into Serena's eyes as he spoke, and his sincerity touched her.

"I'm sick of the bullying and the typecasting that goes on at that school. Amy looked like she needed a friend, and if she ever wants one, I will always be here. It was my pleasure to help." With that, Serena slid out of the booth. "It was nice to meet you, Duo. Cat, I have to get home."

"I'll take you." Cat offered.

"Nope, that's ok. It isn't very far from here, and you should visit with your friend." Before Serena could walk away, Duo grabbed her hand, pressing a small rectangular piece of cardboard into it. 

"Thank you again for helping Amy. If you ever need anything, anything at all, call me, please." He released Serena's arm, and both men watched as she walked out of the restaurant and up the street.

"Well, do you want to talk here, or should we go somewhere else?" The question caught Duo off guard. He was still thinking about how strange laughing and talking with Serena had felt. It had been so strange that the sensation was familiar.

He shook his head, braid whapping him on either side of the face. "Let's talk elsewhere. I want to walk." He slid out of the booth, took a few bills from his wallet and waited while Cat paid his part of the tab. Once more, the two men acted in unison, walking out of the door and strolling up the street.

Eventually, they reached a park, and, as nobody else was around, plopped down on swings, arms wrapping round the chains and feet kicking lazily at the dusty hard ground formed after countless feet had skidded while attempting a stop.

"You first." The statement came in unison, the two old acquaintances reticent despite having known each other for at least two lives.

Duo laughed. "Alright, me first. I haven't recovered my full memory," he admitted, hating his weakness. 

Cat noted the shadows in his indigo eyes, but said nothing. 

"I remember some women…more girls, actually, but they… I think they held our lives, and I remember thinking that I would give my life so nothing would happen to them. I don't remember what they looked like. Only the small things remain where they are concerned. A laugh. A gesture. But that's it. I remember cursing somebody before I died during the war that ended the Silver Millennium. I know I cursed that person because one of those girls had died…and she had died because I couldn't get there in time. Do you know how that feels?" Duo looked up, the pain in his eyes bottomless. 

Again Cat said nothing, merely looked at his old ally and newfound friend. 

Duo sighed, closed his eyes, pulled the ponytail holder at the end of his hair loose, and began to pull apart his braid. "Of course you do. You did the exact same thing, didn't you?" He paused again, looking at Cat. "There are other things as well. I remember the faces of my brother Gods. You, of course. A man with only one eye, green as emeralds, showing, who speaks rarely, but one listens when he does."

Cat breathed a single word. "Nanashi."

Duo continued, staring at his hands. "Another, this one rather more disciplined in appearance. His black hair always pulled back so tightly it's a wonder he wasn't constantly complaining of headaches. His piercing onyx eyes only softened when he stared at those girls and only then when he thought people weren't looking, and his cunning and sense of justice often caused the rest of us headaches."

"Shenlong," Cat whispered; his eyes wide with memories.

Once more, Duo spoke. "And the last, the most dangerous of all of our brethren. He had unkempt brown hair, more weapons than an army, and his cobalt gaze froze people in their steps."

"Ares."

"And I know where all of the brethren are now." Duo finished his tale and straightened swiftly. "I have other memories, but those are the most important ones." He turned to his friend again. "Your turn."

"I remember probably as much as you do. I remember the Queen and her advisors—the black cat Luna and the white cat Artemis. I also have this flash of Nanashi, Shenlong, Ares, you, and me on horses standing at the top of a crest. We are dressed for battle, in armor the like of which I have never seen in this lifetime, staring at the carnage of a battlefield. Earth fills the night sky. And…" Here Cat paused, wondering how to word what he next had to say. "I remember the Princesses." 

Duo's eyes widened, pupils dilating so much that they turned his eyes black. 

"There were actually nine of them, but four of those nine generally stayed off of the moon. The other five were ours." Cat laughed, a harsh sound. "More precisely, we were theirs."

Duo grabbed Cat. "What did they look like? Cat, what did they look like?!" Cat bowed his blonde head.

"One of them…one of them is Serena. Better known to you, perhaps, as Princess Serenity, the Tsuki no Hime and my one-time sister." An image burst open in Duo's head of himself helping a girl about sixteen up off of the floor where he had knocked her. Her gold hair had been bound in a French braid and her wide blue eyes laughingly peered into his.

"Another," Cat continued, "is your friend Amy, I believe. At that time, she would have been known as Princess Ami, the Mizu no Hime.

Duo stared at Cat. "Amy?" he whispered. And the last time he saw her face in the Silver Millennium swirled through him_._

_Nephrite snapped and Ami screamed as dark energy enclosed her, draining what was left of her life-force. _

_A wordless scream dark with graveyards rang out, the echo of one heard only seconds before. Energy blacker, more terrible than the Negaverse's, and yet more brilliant as well, darkened the sky. A harsh voice, cold, devoid of any softer emotion spoke from the direction of the stairs. "Bad move, Nephrite." _

_"Shinigami..."Ami whispered and fainted, her coloring gray. _

_ Indigo eyes swept over the hordes of monsters crowding the area. The monsters fell without a sound. The God of Death then turned the power of his gaze on Nephrite. "Now, you die." he declared. He gathered all of his energy into one single area, and called his scythe back into existence. Rather than the normal green glow, the blade of his scythe had turned black. "Dark Scythe Destroy!" Shinigami leaped into the air, aiming his attack at Nephrite. A line of power shot out, sweeping through the middle of the Negaverse general's body_. 

_"Enjoy my realm, jerk. And when you come back, I'll be there, too!" he muttered, tossing his braid around to lie straight down his back. He landed softly on the ground next to Ami's body, and let go of his Ultra personality. As Duo, he gathered her to him, and fell unconscious, the use of so much power too much for his mortal frame._

"How could I have forgotten Ami?" Duo spoke at a level only Cat could hear.__

Cat, sympathetic towards the anguish his friend must be going through because he had felt the same when he had remembered Rei's death, sat there for a few seconds before speaking. "You didn't forget her, Duo. Somewhere, part of you remembered her." Duo looked up, life sparking under the ashes of his pain. "You found her again in this lifetime. And you protect her now as you always did back then."

"I hate it when you're right, Apollo." Cat smiled, a brief quirk of his lips. Duo inhaled deeply. "What about the rest of them?"

"Are you sure?" Cat looked surprised, but at Duo's nod, forged ahead. "There was also the Hi no Hime. We knew her better as Rei, high priestess for the kingdom, the Tsuki no Hime's best friend, and my betrothed." With an iron will, Cat kept those memories from flooding back. "She was tall, fiery as Martians generally were, with red-black hair and violet eyes. Next was the Ai no Hime. Minako, Captain of the Guards for the Tsuki no Hime, the body of which the princesses formed. She was related to Serenity and I—cousins, I believe. Minako had long blonde hair, a bright smile, and eyes that were blue as a summer sky. Last but not least was the Ki no Hime. Makoto had brown hair, green eyes, and an electrifying personality…" Cat's eyes widened. "In fact, she looked an awful lot like that girl whose bike we were admiring today."

The sound of children's laughter stopped their conversation. The two men blinked, glanced up, looked around, and noted that while they had been chatting, people had arrived at the formerly deserted park.

"I guess it's time we got going." Duo declared. "I'll see you later, Cat." With that as his goodbye, the Shinigami disappeared.

Seconds later, so did Apollo.

What neither of them noticed was the young man that had been sitting in the branches of the tree above their heads. His eyes narrowed in concentration, he disappeared as well.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**

A file appeared on the glowing screen of a computer. "Finally," Wufei sighed, "we have something on Hiiro deBello." Triton nodded in agreement and the two began perusing the contents. 

*__*_*_*___*_*_*__*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*__*_*_*__*_**_

"But I don't want to go to Japan!" A foot encased in an orange sneaker stomped itself delicately on the floor of a boarding bridge at the airport.

"Truly, Mina, that's just too bad. You don't have a choice. You ARE going to Japan, you WILL meet your betrothed, and that WILL BE the end of THAT." Her mother declared, tired of the tantrums her daughter kept throwing. "Do you understand?"

The classic blonde beauty nodded her head morosely, picked up her carrying case which held her cat, Artemis, and finished boarding the plane.

Twenty minutes later, she was on her way to Japan.

*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Okay, that's the end of that chapter. I know that most of you are tired of it taking me three months or more to update my stories but I really can't concentrate on them. I've tried! I think I'm going to abandon one of them, but more on that later.

C ya hopefully sooner than three months later.

Ciao 

AutumnHime


	13. Things Proceed

**From Then, To now, Til Later**

**Arc 2:  Chapter 4:  Things proceed**

**AutumnHime******

"Wanna fight, onna?"  the question broke Lita out of the reverie induced by her rhythmic hitting of the punching bag, although not unexpectedly.  The day she had joined this particular gym, she had been frustrated with the world, and needed to get some of the anger at the world and her situation out of her.  She had issued a gym-wide challenge that day.  This guy had been shadow sparring in the corner, concentrating solely on his moves. When she had beaten all comers, this guy challenged her, saying that he normally would not deign to fight a woman, but felt that she needed to be taken down a peg.  

Lita had decided then and there that the guy, whose name she still did not know, needed to be taken down several pegs.  And she did.  

Since that first day, every time they had been in the gym together, she and this mysterious Chinese teenager who would not even tell her his name had dueled.  They were evenly matched, each losing as often as they won.

"Actually, I was wondering if you would talk with me first.  I need some help."  Lita turned her big green eyes up to meet the slightly taller man's gaze.  

Wufei's thin lips curled in a sneer.  "We aren't friends, onna." His eyes gleamed.  "I'll make a wager with you.  If you fight me and win, I'll listen to your problems and do my best to offer advice.  If I win, you have to wear a dress to the gym for a week and do mending for me."

Lita thought about it, teeth catching her bottom lip.  Then she nodded.  "You have to be polite when you offer your advice.  If that is agreeable, then I agree to the bet."

Wufei grimaced, but nodded his acceptance of her condition. 

The fight was on.

Ten minutes later, the fight was over with.  Lita had won.  

Breathing deeply, Wufei laid back on the mat resting his head comfortably against his arms.   "So what do you want my advice on, woman."

Lita smiled as she shoved her disheveled hair back up out of her eyes.  "First I want to know what your name is.  And do not give me that crap about a woman not deserving to know your name."

Wufei smirked.  It was nice that someone besides Triton knew him so well.  "I am Ryu Wufei."

"Was that so hard?  My name is Lita Kino.  And this is my problem.  I have a reputation for being a fighter, especially since I've been kicked out of three schools for that same reason.  Well, I started at a new school today.  Unfortunately, my reputation preceded itself and I found myself being mocked at lunch today.  A girl came up to defend me, and I sort of brushed her off, but I think she was only trying to be friendly.  What do you think I should do?"

Wufei groaned.  "Why are you coming to an honorable man like myself, about such an onna problem?"

Lita grinned.  "Because you said you'd help me.  Or did you forget?"

"Me and my mouth, I am becoming just like Duo.  I did not just say that. Nataku save me!"  Wufei slammed his head back onto the mat a few times, to get rid of the Duo infected brain cells.  "Alright, onna…"

"Lita!"

"Onna, you win.  Apologize to this girl and accept her friendship.  She can't be weak if she strolled up to you despite your reputation."

Lita mulled that over.  "That works, thanks."  She groaned, stretching as she stood up.  "Would you like another match?"

"Very well, onna.  I went easy on you last time."  Wufei rolled back, then did a handspring up.  

The sparring began again.  They traded blows and insults for a while, and then got down to the serious stuff.  

But Wufei slipped as Lita moved forward to throw him.  Surprised, she exerted a little too much force and his body landed on the edge of the mat, head slamming back into the concrete.

"Oh mi…" Lita raced to Wufei, dropping to her knees beside the body.  "Wufei?  Wufei, are you alright? C'mon, man, speak to me."

Wufei moaned.  "My head..." he declared, reaching a hand up to feel the bump on his cranium.  He opened his eyes.  "Makoto?  I dreamt the Moon was under attack and I wouldn't be there in time to save you." He blinked, his black eyes dilating farther as more memories flooded back. "What?  You were…"

But Lita wasn't listening.  The name Makoto spoken by this boy spun through her head.  "Makoto?  Silver Millenium?"  She whispered.  Her own eyes began to dilate and she collapsed on top of the man she had once claimed as her love.

A shadowy figure with wild brown hair and cobalt eyes looked at the scene in satisfaction.  "You'll be safe soon enough, dear one." He whispered.  "Your court will be awakened again soon."  He vanished, making sure the small oil spill he had created on the court right before Wufei stepped on it vanished too.  

The Negaverse was rising, and this time, Serenity _would_ be safe.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Duo and Cat woke up the moment Wufei's energy signature flared.  Another one flared as well, this one unrecognizable.  Something was going to happen soon.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

While Wufei was dueling with Lita, Triton stood impatiently, waiting for his "betrothed" at the airport.  His eyes brushed past the girl in bright orange, dismissing her as an option.  His feet had another agenda in mind.  Without conscious thought, Triton found himself standing in front of the blonde.  

She looked at him curiously.  "Are you Triton Stille?"

He responded in the affirmative.

"I'm Mina.  I hope you know, I'm going to do anything I can to break up this betrothal."  Her blue eyes crystallized with the sincerity of her statement.  She blinked and the moment was gone.  "Now that that's settled, let's get my bags."

With that, Triton did something unexpected.  He laughed.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

So that ends this chapter.  If you read it and think what the heck was I thinking, trust me when I tell you I don't know.  But Lita's memories are back, as are Wufei's, so things are speeding up.

R/R and Ja ne

AutumnHime


	14. Cats, mayhem, friends

Remember I only own the plotline, and certain fun characters.  Any character from Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon does not belong to me, and as I now have to pay for my education, I have less than nothing!

**From Then, To Now, Til Later**

**Arc 2: Chapter 5:  Cats, mayhem, friends?**

**By:  AutumnHime**

"You know, that wasn't exactly the reaction I was going for when I announced that I would break this engagement."  Mina informed him as they strolled together towards the luggage round.  She studied him from the corner of her eye.  Her parents hadn't picked too badly.  The man striding next to her was tall, topping 6'2".  His auburn hair covered one of his emerald green eyes. 

"I'm sorry," Triton murmured, not at all contrite.  He had taken advantage of the time when she was studying him to study her.  It really was too bad that he had decided he wanted to decide for himself whom he would marry.  Mina Aino averaged about 5'5", with long golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  She was gorgeous, in a word, and for some reason, he wanted to break the silence he was known for when with her. 

Mina flashed him a smile.  "No, you aren't.  But that's okay.  We'll get along splendidly after this engagement is broken."  She hooked her arm through his, and they continued their mile hike.  

"…" Triton's lips twitched, but he didn't remove her arm.  

They finally reached their destination.  "Which are yours?"  Trowa asked, figuring she wouldn't understand his normal three-dot language.  

Mina replied, "They're bright orange."

Triton suppressed a groan. He could have guessed.  Then again, who knew luggage came in bright orange?  

The luggage round began to move.  The first bag out was bright orange.  _At least we won't be here too long_, Triton thought.  The second bag out was also bright orange.  So was the third.  And the fourth.  And the fifth.  And the sixth.  And so on through the twentieth.  "Is that all?"  He stressed the last word.  

Minako nodded, amused at the look on Triton's face.  

"All right."  He grabbed a dolly and began stacking the luggage, thinking it a good thing that he had borrowed the family cars and drivers.  

He finally noticed the carrier.  "What's in that?"  He pointed at the white case.

"Hmm?" Mina looked down.  "That's Artemis, my cat." 

"Oh."  He heaved the last piece of luggage onto a second dolly.  He gestured to the second dolly, and they were off.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Duo was checking his e-mail.  After the energy flare earlier, he hadn't managed to get back to sleep.  He and Cat had no idea what had happened to wake Wufei up, and Shinigami knew that Hiiro wouldn't answer any questions, so Duo had decided to engage in his favorite 'I'm bored' hobby…the Internet.  He finished typing his 'log-in' info and stared at the number of messages that were reported in his inbox.

"250? How in the world did I end up with two-hundred fifty e-mails?"  With a sigh, the sorting began.  

Forty minutes later, Duo's eyes were heavy.  "I can't take this anymore!  Say goodbye, e-mail."  His indigo orbs caught on a familiar address:  _dragonsjustice@olympus.net._

"Now why would Wufei send me something?"  Duo tapped the link. 

To: _shinigamisdeath@olympus.net_

From:  _dragonsjustice@olympus.net_

Re:_  Déjà vu _

_Braided Baka Duo,_

_Triton and I have discovered some information_ _about that new student, Hiiro deBello.  It seems that he was in a car accident around the age of three or four.  According to the police report, his survival was nothing short of a miracle.  After that, there's nothing.  He just disappears off the record.  Really nothing here to explain the déjà vu , but thought you should know._

_I am strong_

_Wufei___

Duo snapped his finger together, throwing the mass of brown hair that hung over his shoulder behind his back.  "So that's why Hiiro remembers!  Well, that explains one mystery, but leaves a lot of others."  He yawned and stretched.  "Oh, well, something for tomorrow!"

Within seconds of returning to bed, Duo had fallen fast asleep, dreaming of sugar plums and horrors to come.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Wufei slowly regained consciousness to find himself under the concerned stares of people he didn't know.  

"What the…?"  He moved to sit up and dropped heavily back to the ground grasping his head.  "Ughhhh.  Why do I feel so…out of it?" 

"Look, I don't want you to stress yourself, but do you remember what happened?  Both you and Lita were unconscious when we found you."  

Wufei's eyes widened.  "Lita…Makoto. Where is she?"  The new set of memories he had pushed themselves to the front overshadowing his present memories. 

"We don't know.  She woke up before you did, and ran away, saying something about apologizing to her hime."

Wufei closed his eyes, hiding his loss. He groaned again and struggled to his feet.  "I have to get home."   

Concerned hands would have hindered his progress, but he growled, an inhumane sound, and they drew away.  

He stumbled out of the gym and into the night.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*___*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 "Where the heck is that student of yours?" Raye bothered her grandfather, unable to hide her worry for Wufei.  "I know you adopted him, but this is just wrong."

She didn't tell her grandfather that she had seen black flames in the fire, which also worried her, especially when her adopted brother who would never go against his code of honor which would include being home on time, was almost six hours late. 

"I know you are worried, Raye, but he's a young man.  I'm sure he's just doing what young men do."  The crotchety, eccentric old man replied.

"But…"

The door to the temple opened.  Wufei leaned heavily against the frame.  There were shadows in his eyes that hadn't been there when Raye had last seen him, and he looked older than his sixteen years.  

"Wufei, what…?"  But Wufei simply stared at her with dark eyes and fumbled his way to his bedroom.  

_Oh, Great Fire, what on earth is going to happen next?_

*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_**_*_

So that's that chapter.  I don't know if you liked it or hated it, but I'm sure you'll tell me.  

Adieu

AutumnHime


	15. The story continues

**From Then, To Now, Til Later**

**Arc 2: Chapter 6:  Who Knows?**

**By:  AutumnHime**

"Everybody, we have another new student."  The teacher gestured for the shadow hovering outside the door to come in.  The noise inside of the room increased as the gossip shot sky high. 

A blonde girl entered the room, blue eyes direct and lighthearted, smile wide and engaging.  A few of the boys whistled, causing her to laugh, harder when those whistles were punctuated with grunts of 'Ow' as the girls around them rained blows on their head.  The teacher ignored the commotion, and turned to the girl.    
  


"Will you introduce yourself, please?"  The teacher asked politely.  

The girl bowed to the class.  "I am Aino Mina, or, as the teachers in England would say, Mina Aino.  It is nice to be here."

"Thank you, Mina," The teacher paused.  "Will you take a seat over there by Serena?  Serena, raise your hand."  

Serena lifted her hand, hoping she and the new girl would be friends, and smiled at Mina as she sat down next to her.  Mina smiled back.  

Class began, boring as usual.

*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*__*_*_

Wufei wandered into his class, unnaturally distracted.  He could feel Raye's eyes on his back, and knew she was worried, but could do nothing about it.  Why had he forgotten everything?  Why?  And where were the other princesses?  He knew where all of his fellow gods were, except for Apollo, but…Wufei's eyes widened.  _Hiiro.  He glanced around the bustling classroom en route to his desk but no familiar cobalt eyes looked back at him.  _

Instead, he found Duo's eyes burning with an impersonal fire that screamed power.  His breath caught, and he wondered how he had ever looked down on him.

Duo sent a thought to Wufei's mind.  _Hello, Shenlong.  Long time no see.  _

_Shinigiami.  _Wufei sent his own greeting, and bowed his head slightly, a greeting between equals.  

_C'mon, Wufei, don't be like that…after all, remember what I did to your favorite set of scales!  _Duo smirked as Wufei immediately glared. 

_I still have yet to get you back for that.  _

A sound from behind them caused both to jump.  A confused looking Triton stared at the duo.  "Are you alright, Wufei?"  Triton asked.

Wufei blinked, keeping in mind that Triton had not gone through his own recollection of their past.  "I'm fine, Triton."  He switched subjects quickly.  "How do you like your betrothed?"

"…"

His silence didn't bother his friends much.  They knew how to interpret it.  

The teacher coughed behind them.  "Class, we have another new student."  A boy walked in from the hallway. Behind them, hidden in the shadows, Hiiro smirked.  Cat had arrived.  

*_*_*__*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

"Wufei, is Cat familiar to you?"  Triton hissed in his friend's ear.  "He gives me the same feeling that Hiiro does." 

"Because we know him, we know them both."  Wufei whispered back, eyes fierce.  

Triton's single visible green eye widened briefly in confusion once more, and he shook his head as if to deny his friend's obvious insanity.  

Wufei sighed.  "I'll explain later."  He bent his dark head back to his work and tried to avoid thinking about anything and anyone, knowing that he could do nothing about it now.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_

A cough distracted Serena from her unsolvable math problem.  The blond looked up and smiled warmly at the blue-haired girl in front of her.  

"Hi, Amy! How are you today?"  Serena asked, closing her book and inviting the petite female whose loneliness was almost palpable to sit next to her.

Amy sat.  "Serena, I really wanted to apologize for my behavior.  A good friend of mine pointed out that you may have only wanted to help, and that not everyone has an ulterior motive."

"It's perfectly alright.  Duo explained that you don't have a lot of friends.  I just want you to know that if you ever need one, I'm always willing."  

Amy's jaw dropped.  "You know Duo?"  The disbelief permeated Amy's voice so thoroughly Serena was surprised that they weren't sitting in a fog of it.  

"I met him yesterday.  He's a friend of my cousin's and wanted to apologize for you and explain, as I said, your actions."  Serena looked curiously at the genius.  "I take it he didn't tell you what he was going to do."

"NO!  I CAN'T BELIEVE HE DID THAT!  THAT JERK!"  Amy fumed, blue eyes blazing with righteous anger.

"That jerk!" Serena agreed.  "I mean, he only went out of his way to find me and tell me that I should keep in mind that you haven't had a lot of friends so that I wouldn't retract my offer of friendship, and he did it all without your permission because he knew that if you knew you would only be mad.  WHAT A JERK!"

Amy's jaw dropped again.

"You know that cannot be good for your jaw."  Serena remarked, eyes twinkling with good humor.

Amy laughed, the sound soothing and bright, like water over rocks.  "When you put it that way, I guess not." She looked back at Serena and the lack of connection she normally felt around everybody except Duo, receded. She smiled.  "So Serena, would you like to be my friend?" 

"Aren't we already?"  Serena replied.

Amy thought about it.  "You know, I think we are."  

"Good!" Serena exclaimed.  "So you can help me with this math problem, then." 

Amy laughed, the two bent their heads over the paper, and the day seemed to get a little brighter.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Unbeknownst to them, a black cat with a bandage on its forehead was staring at them intently, not believing that she had finally reached the end of her quest.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

School was out for the day, and Triton was worried.  Wufei had changed. Triton knew Wufei had changed; only he didn't know how.  

"…"  Triton reminded himself.  And he was right, the only thing he could do was to wait until Wufei wanted to talk about it.  That might take a few years.  _At least_, Triton thought in consolation for the tough day, _Mina is supposed to meet me at my apartment.  _

That thought caused his green eyes to soften.  It also caused Triton to lower his guard, so he was not prepared when he felt a gentle touch on his neck and heard something like an apology.  Then the memories came flooding back and there was nothing else.  

*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_

Hiiro stepped out of the shadows directly behind Triton.

Unlike with Wufei, he had no way to knock Triton out and thus cause the memories to come back more or less naturally.  The God of War would have to do it the hard way, by forcing the memories to the fore without the aid of a physical shock.  

"I'm sorry for the pain this will cause you, but Serenity needs you, and needs you trained.  And I can't do any of that until you are all awake."  He reached his gloved hand towards Triton's neck, and sent a surge of energy through it.  "Nighty night, Triton."  And Triton collapsed into his arms.

Hiiro slung the taller man into a fireman's carry and maneuvered him to his apartment.  He then placed Triton gently against his door and placed a shield around the area so that no one would see the unconscious man until he woke up except for the Ai no Hime.

And then Hiiro disappeared, knowing that the energy signature on the street would cause Duo and company to come looking.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

And unknown to the entire reborn Silver Millennium Court, except for Ares, evil was breaking out of its bonds in the polar ice caps.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Okay, that's it.  Some of you may notice the names switching in between chapters, that would be because I think I use one name and then realize I didn't too late to switch and am to lazy to fix it.

*I can't remember back this far…Did Mina and Serena go to the same school, or was Mina in a private school?  

And you may be wondering why Quatre would go to a school different than Serena.  Well, since four of his other comrades go to this school, I though I'd make it easy.  


	16. Budding Evil

Alright, So I'm back…kind of.  I apologize for having disappeared for so long (longer than normal, at least) but I'll do my best to continue with updates a little more methodically.  Again, all the previous chapters have been edited, and names in the second arc have been changed.  Heero=Hiiro; Trowa=Triton; Quatre=Cat.  (Wufei and Duo have no changes given that the only names I could have created with them were appreciably stupid, like Wufae for Wufei and Deux or Dio for Duo)

Thank you Silver Caladan, JB, and  for the info on the Serena/Mina thing. I guess we'll all just have to accept my rewriting of history (since I'm already doing it.)  Next time I'll try to research harder = )!

**From Then To Now Til Later**

**Arc 2: Chapter 7:  Budding Evil**

**By:  AutumnHime**

Mina rushed up the stairs, in a hurry to get to her soon-to-be-ex-betrothed's apartment.  She had been eager for the sight of the tall brunette all day, although why, she didn't know.  She hit the last step and sprang around the corner when shock made her stop and concern propelled her forward again at the sight that had met her eyes.  Triton sat propped against his door, his eyes closed.  Mina knelt down next to the teen, feeling something give as she did so.  

"Triton?"  She reached for his wrist, intent on checking his pulse.  She sighed in relief when she found it.  "C'mon, Triton, wake up."  She shook him gently.  When that did nothing, she lightly slapped his wrist and nearly grinned when he groaned.  "Up and at 'em, Stille, you have places to take me shopping so you can report to your parents that I'm flighty and wasteful, and I can report to mine that you are a Scrooge."  When this elicited no further responses, Mina slapped his cheeks lightly, and then harder.  Still nothing.  "Hmmm…Well, let's see if you have the key on you anywhere.  Maybe you'll wake up if you are more comfortable."

Mina began her search of the European teen's uniform. "No key in the breast pocket, no key in the jacket pocket, no key in the front pants pockets, I guess that leaves…" Mina trailed off as she realized that the last place the key, if it was on her betrothed, could be, was in his back pants pocket.  "Ummm…don't mind me," She told the unconscious boy as she lifted him a little forward and began to reach into the pocket.  

She nearly screamed as a hand grabbed her wrist.  

"And what do you think you're doing?"

*__*             *__*             *__*          *__*           *__*             *__*           *__*

Trowa was floating in a world of silence.  Memories had come at him from every direction until he could take it no longer and willed them all to become silent until he could handle the information rush. He carefully studied one of them.  It depicted a court ball.  He tossed that one aside.  He was about to reach for another one when he heard someone call his name.  "Mina…ko?"  He mused wordlessly to himself.  He groaned as he felt two stinging raps on his wrists, and then devoted himself to the task of climbing back to the surface from the depth of his mind, ignoring the pain from slaps on his cheeks.  

He felt someone reach around him trying to find the key to the door that his back rested upon and he climbed faster in response.  

He managed to surface as the person lifted him away from the door to get at his back pockets.  Thief? He mused.  His hand snapped around to catch the stranger's wrist.

"And what do you think you're doing?"  Trowa's voice was absent of any emotions, as he opened his eyes to study the person whom he had caught.  

The light blinded him at first, causing him to squint and his head to swim with pain.  Eventually, his eyes adjusted and he turned to face the person sitting next to him.  

He gasped, just as she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*__**_*_*_

_Universal point of view_

Mina, frozen in shock when the hand had grabbed her and Triton had spoken, turned and threw her arms around the lithe youth, who sat there stiffly, before returning her hug.  

Trowa couldn't believe his eyes.  His love, whom he had thought dead was alive and in his arms once again.  After a few seconds of just staring down into the mass of blonde hair gathered against his chest, he returned her hug, unaware of the tears that streamed down his face.  

Mina looked up as she felt something wet land on her head.  "Triton?  Are you OK?"  Her cerulean eyes widened in concern as she took in the drops of water rolling down his cheeks.  

"I'm fine, Minak…" Wait a minute.  Triton?  And the memories stampeded through his head again. 

He remembered her death and his curse upon her murderer.__

_ A bright sphere of light formed in front of the Princess of Venus's face. Inside the glowing ball, a stone sword waited to be clasped. She struggled to her feet, reaching out for the hilt. Zoisite, too caught up in her evil plans, noticed the sword too late. _

_"KILL HER!" She screamed to the grinning monsters. _

_Venus responded with the last of her strength. "ARTEMIS SWORD," she screamed the battle cries of a warrior going to her doom and relishing it, "SWEEP!" Venus spun, destroying wave after wave of the demonic horde. The dead piled up until the glowing top that the Soldier of Venus and the sword formed begun to slow, began to wobble, just a bit. The monsters pressed in again, eager for the kill. Venus crashed to the ground, transforming back into Minako during the fall. Yet the hard landing that she had expected never came. A wordless scream of pain, the fourth of those sounded that night, hair-raising and mind shattering in its intensity filled the night to the point where the air itself seemed to shriek, and then shattered even that; and immediately before her bruised and battered body met the earth, arms grasped her. She had barely enough time to gaze into Nanashi's concerned green gaze before the earth spun once more, black dots waltzed in front of her eyes, and she tumbled free of her mortal coil. _

_Nanashi__ set Minako gently upon a bed of lilies. His eyes changed from their concerned look to one of emerald hardness. He glared at Zoisite. _

_"Oh dear, did I hurt your beloved? Sooo sorry," she mocked, unaware of the danger that Nanashi truly posed. _

_The normally quiet god grew savage. "Zoisite, for the crimes you have committed against the Reign of the Moon, you will die. For the death of my fiancee, if I were you, I'd pray that you are never reborn. Every time silence suddenly falls, you will fear that I am right behind you, and I will be. You will have to live in constant noise, never a peaceful, quiet moment, for I will stalk you from this day forward, through this millennium and the next and every one after that. You will grow slowly insane and ever more paranoid, until one day, when you least expect it, I'm in front of you and you die once again." The cold rage in his eyes suddenly ignited, as he gathered what energy he had left from getting here so quickly into a single attack. "Now DIE! SILENT ARROW STRIKE!" _

_Crimson burst through the air as Trowa sank down next to Minako, touching her golden hair once more and cocooning himself in the silence, before he drifted peacefully into a coma. _

He remember meeting Wufei for the first time in this lifetime.

_A tall patrician looking man stood in the door to his room.  The boy with hair that already refused to obey its owner's command to stay out of one of his deep green eyes looked gravely at his father. _

_"Triton, the son of some friends of your mother and I is here. I expect you to entertain him while his parents visit."  The man in the doorway then turned around and directed another little boy into the room.  This one had black hair that, had it been down, would have reached to his shoulders.  Instead it was pulled back so tightly, Triton wondered if the boy didn't cry every morning when it was done that way.  The boy had almond-shaped onyx eyes that challenged everything he saw.  _

_Triton stepped forward.  "I'm Triton Stille," he had declared, shoving one little hand towards the newcomer.  "Would you like to play with my toys."_

_The Chinese boy did not respond for a few seconds.  "I am Ryu Wufei.  It is a pleasure to meet you."  The formal words would have made Triton laugh had his new acquaintance not looked like he was ready to fight at the slightest hint of ridicule on the slightly taller child's face.  _

_Triton's father, sure that the children would get along, left._

_They did.  Even at the age of four, Wufei preferred solitude and meditation to the normal activities of young children…although that didn't mean he couldn't be coerced into the occasional game of tag or hide-and-seek.  Triton too preferred to be quiet and play his musical instruments.  They got along splendidly._

He remembered meeting Mina in this life for the first time.

_He stood impatiently, waiting for his "betrothed" at the airport.  His eyes brushed past the girl in bright orange, dismissing her as an option.  His feet had another agenda in mind.  Without conscious thought, Triton found himself standing in front of the blonde.  _

_She looked at him curiously.  "Are you Triton Stille?"_

_He responded in the affirmative._

_"I'm Mina.  I hope you know, I'm going to do anything I can to break up this betrothal."  Her blue eyes crystallized with the sincerity of her statement.  She blinked and the moment was gone.  "Now that that's settled, let's get my bags."_

_With that, Triton did something unexpected.  He laughed._

Oh goddess, Wufei must have remembered their past as well, no wonder he looked so different.  

Mina broke into his thoughts once more.  "Triton?  Are you alright?"  

Triton blinked, clearing his eyes of the memories that haunted them, and hugged her tightly to his chest once more.  "Except for the splitting headache, I'm fine Mina.  I'm wonderful."  

"Excellent.  Then let's get you up, in your apartment, and put you to bed. You aren't fit to go shopping or help me figure out ways to break the betrothal today."  

Triton nodded as he let her help him stand.  He didn't tell her that he no longer had any intention of letting the betrothal be broken.  She was his, and he would just have to make her understand that. 

Mina looked up into the emerald eyes of the teen she had known for less than two days and already cared for, wondering about the change that she could feel.

*_*_*_*__*__*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*___*_*_*

Serena was on her way home from school.  Once again, she was forced to sit through detention for being the tiniest bit late, and now she had to walk home in the dark.  

_Creepy_, she thought, studying the pathways in front of her.  She shuddered.  The streetlamps provided the only oases of light in the dark, and yet served to make the trees and benches around them even more sinister.  She turned into the park that provided the quickest way home.  

Footsteps echoed behind her.  Serena whirled, expecting to see someone behind her, but nobody was there.  She began walking again, not noticing the gleaming green eyes crouched down by a bush or the small hint of exposed flesh visible in the branches of a tree she had passed scarce seconds ago.  

Footsteps again.  This time, Serena didn't turn, but shivered and began to walk faster.  From experience, she knew that the center of the park was just ahead, and had much better illumination than the rest of the park.  She could stop and catch her breath there, not to mention calm her nerves.  

Fate had other plans.  Serena reached her haven with her eyes towards the ground, not wanting to be blinded by the bright lights.  Thus she didn't see the scaly arm that reached out and grabbed her.

"AAAAAAAAAA!" Her scream echoed off the branches of trees, cut off abruptly by the feeling of energy suddenly draining from her body.  

"Hellooo.  Have you come to join my efforts in providing my masters with power?" The voice that belonged to the arm currently attached to Serena was high-pitched and evil.

Serena blinked as her eyes became adjusted to the light.  And soon wished she hadn't.  Bodies littered the concrete walk.  She could still make out their chests moving, so they were alive, but they looked dead.  Men and women alike had a pallor to the normally lively tones of their skin, waxen and drawn across their cheekbones.  Dark bags added to the effect.  

"Wha…What's going on?"  She tried to jerk her arm away from the steel grip of whoever held her, but only managed a weak tug.  

Soon, she felt herself falling…

In the darkness, a small shape bunched itself up, preparing to pounce on the arm of the purple and tan monster holding the end to her search.  Before her action could be completed, a hand jerked her up by the nape of the neck and the black cat Luna, former advisor to the Queen of the Moon found herself staring into cobalt eyes hidden behind a half mask.  

She was about to swipe a paw at the man's face when he spoke.

"Don't wake her up yet.  Let her stay this way for a few more days, please?"  The man asked, his voice soft and wistful, yet at the same time sad.  "She'll have more than enough to face all too soon, so let her sleep in peace for a little while longer."

Luna could barely nod; the look of longing and sorrow in the man's eyes enough to drown a giant, much less a cat. 

"Thank you." The man breathed before putting her down and silently moving across the shadows.  

What happened next happened to quickly for Luna to catch.  One minute, Serena was in the grip of the monster, the next, in the arms of the masked man.  The monster looked stunned for a second before it slowly began to break into particles of dust.

"NOOOOOO…This can't happen to the Tactilatooooorrr."  And then, the monster was gone, blown in a thousand thousand directions by a gust of wind.

When Luna looked back toward where the stranger had stood, he was gone and so was his burden.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

_*Apollo.*  _

Cat jerked up from where he had been lazily perusing a book.  He didn't recognize the voice in his head, but given the feel of peace hard won, he only had one guess.

_*Ares?*  _

_*Come to the park gates.  I have something you might want.* _With that command, the presence that was Ares disappeared from Cat's senses.  

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what he wants," Cat mused to himself.

He walked out of the house and headed down the street.  When he arrived at the gates, the slim figure that was the God of War stepped out of the shadows, carrying…Serena?! in his arms.  

Cat rushed forward.  "What happened?"  

Hiiro looked at him, his chocolate-colored hair waving in an invisible wind.  "The Negaverse is on the rise again."

With that, he deposited Serena into Cat's outstretched arms, and disappeared.

Cat slowly walked back to the Tsukino household with his burden cradled in his arms. So as not to worry his aunt or uncle, he bent the light around them, shielding them from sight and carried Serena up to her room.  

She stirred as he placed her on the bed, eyes slowly opening to show their brilliant blue depths.  "Cat?"  She asked sleepily.

Cat smiled, and brushed her golden hair out of her eyes.  "Go to sleep, coz.  You're safe."

Serena turned to her side and curled up, breathing becoming slower and more even as sleep overtook her.  

Apollo rose and slowly left the room.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

And there ends chapter 7.  Like I said, I'll do my best to update a little more regularly…but I'm not exactly responsible.

Don't forget to review!

AH


	17. To Grandmother's House we go

Yes, yes, it's a miracle. I'm writing something. First, my apologies for leaving everyone in the lurch. Second, keep in mind that I may take a year and a half to get a chapter out after this, no matter how much I saw I'll try to update regularly. I can't even give you the excuse that I'm busy, because I'm not. My stories just no longer interest me that much, and I find my writing more awkward now than ever.

From Then To Now Til Later

Arc 2.8: Off to Grandmother's House We Go

When Duo heard a knock on his door at 2 am, he figured that something either really good or really bad had occurred. In an attempt to delay having to wake up to deal with either, he pulled his pillow over his head and went back to sleep.

When Duo heard Apollo's voice in his head, he came to the conclusion that it probably wasn't news of the good variety. In an attempt to delay the now more likely bad news and get a little more sleep, he began singing the most obnoxious song he knew in his head to drown out Apollo's voice in his head, and snuggled deeper under the covers.

When Duo heard his apartment door opening, and felt the light that Apollo radiated with out thought, he knew that the news was apocalyptic and decided that since the world was ending any ways, a little more sleep couldn't hurt. He blindly reached out to the bed stand to grab his little used eye mask, slid it on, and hoped without hope that he would be left alone.

When Duo's bedroom door opened, he gave up any hope for just five more minutes, threw his pillow at the intruder and sat up, taking off his eye mask so that he could properly glare at the bothersome Sun God.

"So? What's so important that Apollo himself couldn't wait for the sun to rise to seek me out? And could you _please_ turn down that damn glow?"

Apollo flushed, and the glow dimmed, but didn't leave from his position at the jamb of the door. "You need to get up, get dressed, and help me find the Wufei and Triton so that we can hunt Ares down. As of a few hours ago, Serena was attacked and the Negaverse is on the rise."

Duo needed no more explanation to haul his butt out of bed and throw on jeans and a T-shirt. "Is she okay? Are the other girls alright? Was Serena being targeted deliberately? Are we sure it's the Negaverse?"

Just as Apollo began to reply, Duo cut in again. "Well, what are you waiting for man? We have people to pick up." Calling forth the powers at his disposal, he faded from view.

Apollo sighed. "Some of us aren't sure of where we're going, and thus have to home in on the signals on foot. Baka Shinigami." He turned to head for Duo's apartment door when Shinigami's voice echoed in his head.

Sorry, I forgot you haven't been here for very long. This is Wufei's residence. A picture of a temple with cherry trees all around it appeared in Apollo's mind. This is Triton's. The image depicted an upscale looking apartment building in the middle of a posh neighborhood, surrounded by green. Got it?

I'm on my way. Apollo's form wavered as the light around him bent, and snapped back into place.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He reappeared moments later before the gate leading to the temple. "Shinigami?" He hissed in to the darkness, and whirled around when he felt something blow across the back of his neck. "Stop that!"

Shinigami held a finger to his lips, the universal sign for quiet and whispered, "Wufei and his family are all really light sleepers, so we have to be quiet." He then jerked his head in the direction of one of the side buildings, and indicated for Apollo to follow.

When Wufei heard the soft footsteps in the courtyard, he registered it as the cats that frequented the temple and the wind, and decided that it was nothing to investigate, falling back into his meditative sleep like state.

When Wufei felt two powerful presences arrive outside the gate of the Temple, he registered them as Apollo and Shinigami, but decided that for the moment, they had nothing to do with him.

When Wufei's head began to ache because an obnoxious song had begun to be sung in what sounded suspiciously like Duo's voice, he acknowledged that he was going to have to get up and find out what the braided baka of death wanted, because Duo wouldn't be going away until he got what he wanted.

Wufei sighed, lifted himself from his bed, and made his way out into the entrance of the temple house, nodding towards Apollo, and arching an eyebrow at the rambunctious god as a silent question.

Shenlong, we have some problems, I'll explain at Triton's.

With those words, Shinigami disappeared. Apollo disappeared as well, but not before informing Wufei turned Shenlong that it was important.

Shenlong sighed in acceptance, and followed to the apartment complex of one god of silence.

None of the three realized that they were not the only ones to be up that night at the temple, the fourth person having been studying for a test to take place the next day and had come out to investigate upon hearing Wufei's movements. And not even she realized the tear that slid down her cheek upon seeing the lithe form of the god of the Sun.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So how are we going to wake him up?" Apollo asked, staring down at the sleeping form of the god of silence.

It looked like Triton had been put through a washing machine and then hung up to dry. Early that afternoon, Shinigami explained, he had felt Ares's powers flare and had attempted to locate him. When he arrived, however, he had discovered only a lingering power signature. Later that afternoon, Triton's power had flared as well, but disappeared almost immediately, leaving only Shinigami, who was capable of capturing changes in auras immediately, aware that anything had gone on.

"Given the circumstances, I'd guess Ares put a power surge through Triton's body in an attempt to awaken his memories, and further awaken his powers. Because Triton is going through this unnaturally, rather than recovering his memories in an accident of some sort, it's harder on him than it was on us, but chances are also good that he'll remember a lot more than just fragments and our deaths." Shinigami finished his thoughts on Trowa's deep sleep, and went back to staring at their friend with shadowed eyes.

"In other words, you're saying we should probably just let him sleep." Shenlong concluded.

The presence of Shinigami disappeared and the façade of Duo returned, grinning madly. "Yip! That's about the extent of my reasoning. And I figure we should return to 'normal' to avoid disturbing his sleep with our 'active' powers. While we're waiting for him to wake up, Cat can explain precisely what happened." He started walking towards Triton's kitchen.

Wufei, having let go of Shenlong as soon as Duo let go of Shinigami, followed, frowning. "Are you telling me you disturbed me for some _unknown_ reason, braided baka?"

Cat, quick as always to preserve diplomatic relations between the two, explained as he searched Triton's cabinets for food—he was starving, and had no doubt the other two were as well. "No, we disturbed you for a very good reason, Wufei. How much do you remember of your life during the Silver Millenium?"

"I remember Makoto and our death. I remember you three, as well as Ares. Other than that, my memories are completely fragmented." Wufei accepted a glass of juice from Duo, the other pulling out a can of soda for himself from the fridge.

"Then you have enough to understand when I say: _The Negaverse is on the rise again!_"

Wufei dropped the glass.

In the bedroom a few feet away, green eyes flew open. The god of silence had woken up, and heard his first call to war.

Alright—it's short, it's bad, but its an update –the first in a year and a half. Once again, it may take me another year and a half to update, so don't get your hopes up too high.

AutumnHime.

Review if you feel like it—I only updated because I logged backed onto and read someone's review begging for an update (1.5 years after my last).


End file.
